The ships make up part of a second Global Summud flotilla to try in recent months to break an Israeli blockade by carrying humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza. They sailed from the Spanish port of Barcelona on April 12.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar wrote on X that Israel "has successfully blocked attempts to breach the lawful naval blockade on Gaza." 

"In coordination with the Greek government, the individuals transferred from the flotilla vessels to the Israeli vessel will be disembarked on a Greek beach in the coming hours," he said. "Israel will not allow the breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza."

Israel said that dozens of activists intercepted by its military on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters off Crete would be taken to Greece.

Israel's foreign ministry earlier said around 175 activists had been taken off more than 20 boats.

The flotilla was the latest attempt by pro-Palestinian activists seeking to break Israel's blockade on Gaza, with organisers putting the number of detained at 211, including a Paris city councillor.

"In coordination with the Greek government, the individuals transferred from the flotilla vessels to the Israeli vessel will be disembarked on a Greek beach in the coming hours," Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar wrote on X, thanking Greece "for its willingness to receive the flotilla participants".

Helene Coron, a spokeswoman for the Global Sumud France, had earlier told an online news conference that the interception operation took place near the Greek island of Crete, at an "unprecedented" distance from the Gaza coast.

Yasmine Scola, an activist on board the flotilla, said her colleagues had been "kidnapped" by Israel.

Paris announced that 15 French nationals had been detained and Rome called for the immediate release of "all the unlawfully detained Italians" -- numbering 24 according to the Italian news agency Ansa.

Coron said those intercepted included Paris Communist local councillor Raphaelle Primet.

Rome and Berlin said in a joint statement that they were following developments "with deep concern", while Madrid blasted the seizure and said it had summoned Israel's charge d'affaires in Spain.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez accused Israel of "once again violating international law by attacking a civilian flotilla in waters that do not belong to it", urging the EU to freeze bilateral ties.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, called the interception a "total success", and described participants as "Hamas supporters".

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