The Israeli Navy has intercepted a new flotilla of pro-Palestinian activists attempting to deliver aid to Gaza, according to the organisers.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition and Thousand Madleens to Gaza stated on social media that nine vessels carrying about 150 activists from around 30 countries were stopped early Wednesday, approximately 220 kilometres off the Gaza coast.
The group claimed on X that Israeli naval forces “attacked and illegally intercepted” the ships.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the interception, describing it as “another futile attempt to breach the legal naval blockade and enter a combat zone.”
The ministry said the vessels were being escorted to an Israeli port and that all crew members were safe and in good health. The activists were expected to be deported shortly.
Last week, the Israeli Navy detained more than 40 boats from a similar aid flotilla carrying about 400 participants from various countries, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. Most of those detained have since been released and deported.
Organisers of that earlier mission, known as the Global Sumud Flotilla, accused Israeli forces of physical and psychological mistreatment and of violating detainees’ rights — allegations the Israeli government dismissed as false, saying that “all rights had been fully respected.”
Critics argue that the aid carried by such flotillas is too limited to provide meaningful relief to Gaza’s population, noting that the missions are largely symbolic acts intended to express solidarity with Palestinians and draw global attention to the situation in the Gaza Strip.
(NAN)