Tel Aviv, Israel - Israel said on Thursday it will deport participants in the Gaza aid flotilla that its forces had illegally intercepted in international waters the previous night.

More than 40 vessels carrying over 500 participants as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla were forcibly stopped less than 80 nautical miles from the shores of Gaza, which is being subjected to famine and – according to a growing consensus among experts – genocide by Israel.

Some ships carrying food and medicine for starving Palestinians made it closer as the Israeli navy struggled to deal with the sheer numbers, with the Mikeno appearing to come within 8 nautical miles of Gaza.

"None of the Hamas-Sumud provocation yachts has succeeded in its attempt to enter an active combat zone or breach the lawful naval blockade," Israel's foreign ministry said in a statement.

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"One last vessel of this provocation remains at a distance. If it approaches, its attempt to enter an active combat zone and breach the blockade will also be prevented."

It said the flotilla participants – including US veterans, elected representatives, and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, all detained at gunpoint – would be deported to Europe, without specifying which countries they would be sent to.

Israel's siege of Gaza has been declared illegal by the International Court of Justice, which also explicitly prohibited the state from interfering with the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Global Sumud Flotilla organizers called Wednesday's actions an act of piracy and kidnapping, given that Israel has no jurisdiction in international waters.

Meanwhile, protests in support of the flotilla and Palestinian lives broke out all over the world

In Italy, which has already seen a general strike in support of the flotilla, unions have called for another work stoppage on Friday to urge stronger action from the government against Israel's destruction in Gaza. Far-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had urged activists to abandon their mission, leading to accusations of "sabotage."

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Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he will expel all remaining Israeli diplomats in the country over the interception, while Spain and Belgium summoned Tel Aviv's representatives to give explanations.

Turkey called the interception "an act of terrorism," and on Thursday said it had opened an investigation after Israeli forces arrested Turkish citizens on board the flotilla.