Hundreds of activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, have been detained by Israeli forces after a flotilla carrying aid bound for Gaza was intercepted.
Israel's Foreign Ministry said those involved in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) were being transferred to an Israeli port to be deported.
The first boats were stopped about 70 nautical miles off the Gaza coast in international waters and others closer.
Israel has been policing this area but does not have jurisdiction there.
Israel said its navy told the boats to change course as they were "approaching an active combat zone and violating a lawful naval blockade", while the GSF described the interceptions as "illegal".
The group said Israel's response was "not an act of defence", but "a brazen act of desperation".
It estimated 443 people were detained from the boats and alleged that many were assaulted with water cannon.
Israel said all those detained were "safe and in good health".
A growing number of countries have expressed concern over the incident, criticising Israel for staging the interception in international waters.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has expelled all remaining Israeli diplomats from the country in response, and denounced the interception as an "international crime by [Israel's Prime Minister] Netanyahu".
Petro also terminated Colombia's free trade agreement with Israel, in place since 2020, and called for the release of two Colombians who were aboard the flotilla.
Amnesty International's Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, said Israel's blockade on Gaza was "unlawful" and that the "decades-long impunity for Israel's blatant violations of international law must end".
