GAZA: Israeli forces have stopped 13 boats carrying foreign activists and aid bound for Gaza, according to flotilla organisers.
Thirty boats are continuing to sail towards the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave despite the interception.
A verified video from the Israeli foreign ministry showed Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg sitting on a deck surrounded by soldiers.
The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed on social media that several vessels were safely stopped and their passengers transferred to an Israeli port.
It stated that Greta and her friends are safe and healthy.
The Global Sumud Flotilla consists of more than 40 civilian boats with about 500 parliamentarians, lawyers, and activists transporting medicine and food.
Flotilla videos on Telegram showed individuals holding passports and claiming they were abducted and taken to Israel against their will.
Participants reiterated that their mission was a non-violent humanitarian cause.
The flotilla represents the most high-profile symbol of opposition to Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
Its progress across the Mediterranean Sea garnered international attention and triggered repeated Israeli warnings to turn back.
Turkey’s foreign ministry called Israel’s action on the flotilla an act of terror that endangered innocent civilians.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered the expulsion of Israel’s entire diplomatic delegation following the detention of two Colombians.
Petro called the detentions a potential new international crime and terminated Colombia’s free trade agreement with Israel.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim condemned Israel’s interception and confirmed Israeli forces had detained eight Malaysians.
Anwar stated that by blocking a humanitarian mission, Israel has shown utter contempt for the rights of the Palestinian people.
The interception sparked protests in Italy and Colombia, with Italian unions calling a general strike for Friday in solidarity.
Israel’s navy had previously warned the flotilla it was approaching an active combat zone and violating a lawful blockade.
It had offered to transfer any aid peacefully through safe channels to Gaza.
The flotilla is the latest sea-borne attempt to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, much of which has been turned into a wasteland.
Organisers denounced the raid as a war crime, alleging the military used aggressive tactics including water cannon.
They stated multiple vessels were illegally intercepted and boarded by Israeli Occupation Forces in international waters.
The boats were about 70 nautical miles off the enclave when intercepted inside a zone Israel is policing.
Organisers said their communications had been scrambled, including a live camera feed from some boats.
According to ship tracking data, 13 boats had been intercepted or stopped as of early Thursday.
Organisers remained defiant, stating the flotilla will continue undeterred.
Thirty boats were still sailing towards Gaza and were 46 nautical miles away from their destination.
The flotilla had hoped to arrive in Gaza on Thursday morning if it was not intercepted.
Israeli officials have repeatedly denounced the mission as a stunt.
The Israeli ambassador to Italy said the systematic refusal to hand over aid demonstrates the objective is provocative, not humanitarian.
Israel has imposed a naval blockade on Gaza since Hamas took control of the coastal enclave in 2007.
In 2010, nine activists were killed after Israeli soldiers boarded a flotilla of six ships manned by 700 pro-Palestinian activists.
In June this year, Israeli naval forces detained Thunberg and 11 crew members from a small ship as they approached Gaza.
Israel began its Gaza offensive after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel.
According to Israeli tallies, some 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken as hostages back to Gaza.
Gaza health authorities say the offensive has killed over 65,000 people in Gaza. – Reuters
