JERUSALEM: Israeli forces intercepted a boat operated by the pro-Palestinian activist group Freedom Flotilla as it attempted to break the naval blockade of Gaza on Saturday. The incident was livestreamed by activists before being abruptly cut off.
“The Israeli navy has stopped the vessel Navarn from illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza,“ Israel’s foreign ministry stated on X. The ship was redirected to an Israeli port, with officials confirming all passengers were unharmed.
Footage from the activists showed them singing the Italian protest song “Bella Ciao” while raising their hands as soldiers boarded. Three live feeds documenting the confrontation went offline minutes later.
The vessel, named ‘Handala,‘ carried 19 activists, including European politicians and two Al Jazeera journalists. Among those detained were French lawmakers Emma Fourreau and Gabrielle Cathala. Their party leader, Jean-Luc Melenchon, condemned the interception, calling it an “illegal kidnapping.”
Gaza remains under a strict Israeli blockade, with humanitarian groups warning of severe food shortages. The activists had aimed to deliver a small quantity of aid.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition accused Israel of violating international law, stating the boarding occurred outside Gaza’s territorial waters. An online tracker showed the ship was roughly 100 kilometres west of Gaza when seized.
This marks the second such interception in recent months. In June, Israel detained another Flotilla vessel carrying Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. – AFP
