Israel intercepts last Gaza flotilla boat, begins deportations

This framework drawback from video released by the Global Sumud Flotilla shows Israeli forces intercepting 'Marinette,’ the past vessel from an planetary flotilla trying to interruption Israel's oversea blockade, Friday. [Global Sumud Flotilla via AP]

The Israeli subject intercepted the past vessel successful an assistance flotilla attempting to scope blockaded Gaza connected Friday, a time aft stopping astir of the vessels and detaining some 450 activists including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg.

The organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla said the Marinette was intercepted some 42.5 nautical miles (79 km) from Gaza. Israeli service vigor said the navy had taken power of the past vessel successful the flotilla, detained those aboard and that the vessel was being led to Ashdod larboard successful Israel.

In a statement, the Global Sumud Flotilla said Israeli naval forces had present “illegally intercepted each 42 of our vessels – each carrying humanitarian aid, volunteers, and the determination to interruption Israel’s amerciable siege connected Gaza.”

A camera broadcasting from the Marinette showed someone holding up a enactment saying “We spot a ship! It’s a war ship”, earlier a vessel is seen approaching and soldiers boarding. A voice is heard telling the radical connected committee not to determination and to enactment their hands successful the air.

An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson did not instantly respond to a petition for remark astir the boat’s status. The ministry said connected Thursday the flotilla’s 1 remaining vessel would beryllium prevented from breaching the blockade if it tried to. The flotilla, which acceptable sail successful precocious August, marked the latest effort by activists to situation Israel’s naval blockade of the enclave, astir two years into Israel’s siege of Gaza which was sparked by militant radical Hamas’ October 7 attacks. Israeli officials person repeatedly denounced the ngo arsenic a stunt. The overseas ministry had said the flotilla was antecedently warned that it was approaching an progressive combat zone and violating a “lawful naval blockade,” and asked organizers to alteration course. It had offered to transfer assistance to Gaza.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry connected Friday said that 4 Italians had been deported. “The remainder are successful the process of being deported. Israel is keen to extremity this process arsenic rapidly arsenic possible,” it said successful a statement. All the flotilla participants were “safe and successful bully health,” it added.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators took to the streets successful cities crossed Europe arsenic well arsenic successful Karachi, Buenos Aires and Mexico City connected Thursday to protestation the flotilla’s interception.

On Friday, tens of thousands of Italians demonstrated, arsenic portion of a day-long wide strike called by unions successful support of the flotilla.

During a visit to Ashdod connected Thursday night, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was filmed calling the activists “terrorists” arsenic helium stood successful beforehand of them. “These are the terrorists of the flotilla,” helium said, speaking successful Hebrew and pointing astatine dozens of radical sitting connected the ground. His spokesperson confirmed the video was filmed astatine Ashdod larboard connected Thursday night.

Some activists are heard shouting “Free Palestine.”

Cyprus said 1 of the flotilla boats had docked successful Cyprus with 21 foreigners aboard. The vessel had asked to dock successful Larnaca for refuelling and humanitarian reasons, a Cypriot authorities spokesperson said.

The spokesperson did not place the boat, oregon accidental whether it had been among those stopped by the Israeli military.

Israel has faced widespread planetary condemnation implicit the war successful Gaza, and is defending itself against charges of genocide successful the International Court of Justice.

Israel says its actions person been successful self-defense and has consistently denied genocide allegations. Israel’s violative has killed implicit 66,000 people, Palestinian wellness authorities say. It began aft Hamas-led militants attacked Israel connected October 7, 2023. About 1,200 radical were killed during the assault, and 251 were taken hostage, according to Israeli figures.

Israel has accepted a caller U.S. connection announced this week to extremity the war that demands Hamas surrender. US President Donald Trump, who said helium would temporarily oversee governance of Gaza under the plan, has fixed Hamas a fewer days to respond, and warned Hamas that Israel would proceed its siege of Gaza if the radical refused.  [Reuters]