Israeli naval ships intercept Gaza-bound flotilla
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Watch: Moment Israeli navy intercepts activist boats carrying aid to Gaza
The Israeli navy has intercepted boats carrying aid to Gaza and detained the activists aboard, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. Israel's Foreign Ministry said several vessels that form part of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) had been "safely stopped" and that those aboard were being transferred to an Israeli port. It added that the navy had told the vessels to change course as they were "approaching an active combat zone". Early on Thursday morning local time, GSF said that 30 boats were still "sailing strong to Gaza" and were 46 nautical miles from their intended destination.
They described the interception as "illegal" and "not an act of defence" but "a brazen act of desperation". The group has alleged that one vessel within the flotilla was "deliberately rammed at sea" and said additional boats were hit by water cannons. "It clearly reveals the extreme lengths to which the occupier will go to ensure Gaza remains starved and isolated," GSF wrote on social media. "They will attack a peaceful civilian mission because the success of humanitarian aid means the failure of their siege." The Israeli Foreign Ministry said the flotilla had been informed it was "violating a lawful naval blockade" that covers the waters next to Gaza - though it is unclear if the boats had entered the blockade zone. It posted footage from the interception showing Thunberg sitting on the deck of a boat, being handed water and a jacket by a member of the Israeli military. Livestreams from the boats suggest not all of the 44 vessels have been boarded and evacuated. The Israeli government, which has branded the GSF's attempt to transport humanitarian aid to war-torn Gaza as "provocation", said: "Greta and her friends are safe and healthy." The GSF said multiple ships including the Alma, one of the main vessels, as well as the Surius and the Adara, had been intercepted and boarded. Prior to that, it accused the Israeli military of "intentionally damaging ship communications, in an attempt to block distress signals and stop the livestream of their illegal boat boarding". It said the flotilla had been 70 nautical miles from Gaza's shoreline when the intervention had occurred. The group had hoped its vessels would arrive in Gaza on Thursday morning.
Israeli foreign ministry The Israeli foreign ministry released footage of its forces detaining Swedish activist Greta Thunberg from one of the boats
People have gathered in Greece, Italy, Germany, Tunisia and Turkey to protest against Israel's interception of the flotilla. Italian unions have also called a general strike on Friday in "defense of the flotilla, constitutional values, and for Gaza". Turkey's foreign ministry condemned the interception as an "act of terrorism", and called for the "perpetrators of this attack" to be held accountable. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has expelled all remaining Israeli diplomats from the country in response, and denounced the interception as an "international crime by Netanyahu". Petro also terminated Colombia's free trade agreement with Israel, which has been in place since 2020, and called for the release of two Colombians who were aboard the flotilla. Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris called the reports "concerning" and said he expects Israel to uphold international law, with at least seven Irish citizens among the detained, including Sinn Féin senator Chris Andrews.
[SRC] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0lk292jww4o
