Several boats of the Gaza aid flotilla, carrying symbolic humanitarian aid to famine-stricken Gaza, were intercepted by Israeli navy and their passengers transferred to an Israeli port, the Israeli foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
The Israeli foreign ministry said that Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and her friends were “safe and healthy”.
The activists on board the flotilla carrying aid to Gaza said that the Israeli navy intercepted three of its boats as they approached the Palestinian territory.
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The Sirius, Alma and Adara boats were intercepted around 70 nautical miles from the coast of Gaza, the organizers said.
“Around 8:30 pm Gaza time (1730 GMT), several vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla, including the Alma, Sirius and Adara, were illegally intercepted and boarded by Israeli occupation forces in international waters,” the flotilla said, according to AFP.
“Beyond the confirmed interceptions, live streams and communications with several other vessels have been lost,” the statement added.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry shared a video on X showing Thunberg sitting on a ship’s deck being handed a water bottle and raincoat.
“Already several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port. Greta and her friends are safe and healthy,” the foreign ministry statement said.
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Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that the Israeli operation was expected to take 2-3 hours. He further said that the Israeli forces have been told “not to use violence.”
The Global Sumud Flotilla, around 45 vessels carrying activists and politicians including Thunberg, left Spain last month aiming to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
The group, which also includes Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Mandla Mandela, former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau and several European lawmakers, said it remained undeterred in its mission to break the Israeli blockade and bring aid to Palestinians.
