Israel intercepts Gaza-bound aid boat

Alsharq Tribune-M-Essam 

Israel said on Monday it diverted the Madleen, a boat headed for the war-torn Gaza Strip, after intercepting it at sea.

The yacht, carrying humanitarian aid and 12 international activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, was attempting to reach the blockaded Palestinian enclave.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said on the social media platform X that the navy had "instructed the boat to change its course due to its approach toward a restricted area." It released video footage showing the activists were being taken to Israel, and said they were unharmed.

The international Freedom Flotilla Coalition said on its Telegram channel that Israeli forces boarded the aid vessel. It accused Israel of violating international law by preventing the delivery of aid.

"The Madleen is currently under assault in international waters," it said. "Quadcopters are surrounding the ship, spraying it with a white irritant substance. Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio."

The group later reported that the army had boarded the Madleen and that contact with the vessel was lost. It said the volunteers on board were "kidnapped by Israeli forces."

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz released a statement, saying he instructed the military to show the activists a video, widely known in Israel as "the gruesome video," which compiles graphic scenes from the Hamas-led deadly attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Katz praised the military for the "swift and safe takeover of the Madleen flotilla to prevent them from breaching the blockade and reaching the shores of Gaza."

Israeli officials said on Sunday that the vessel would be intercepted and the activists deported. It was not immediately clear when they would be released.

Organizers of the mission said the boat was carrying food and medical supplies.

The current flotilla came about a month after another coalition ship, the Conscience, was reportedly damaged in a drone attack in international waters near Malta.

Israel has imposed a strict blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, when the Islamist group Hamas took control of the territory. The blockade was significantly tightened after Hamas' October 2023 assault.

The assault sparked the current round of conflict between Israel and Hamas, which, now in its 21st month, has caused a severe humanitarian crisis.

United Nations agencies and humanitarian groups have repeatedly warned of imminent famine in the densely populated territory of 2.3 million people. The UN says the entire population is facing life-threatening food insecurity.