Several boats from a large aid flotilla trying to reach Gaza have been boarded by Israeli authorities – with campaigner Greta Thunberg among those removed.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is made up of more than 40 civilian boats with an estimated 500 people onboard, and is trying to break Israel’s sea blockade.
But the attempt appears to have been thwarted – at least for now – by about 20 Israeli ships.
Israel’s foreign ministry said “several vessels” had been “safely stopped”, with passengers being taken to an Israeli port.
“Greta and her friends are safe and healthy,” a spokesperson added.
A livestream showed some of the boats in the flotilla as the incident unfolded
A video showed Thunberg sitting on deck while being handed a water bottle and raincoat.
It’s so far unclear how many boats have been intercepted.
The flotilla ignored requests to turn back and organisers said the interception was illegal as it happened in “international waters” around 80 miles off the coast.
Greg Stoker, a US veteran who’s involved, said water cannon had been used on some of the boats.
Gaza-bound flotilla ‘aggressively circled’ by warship
The flotilla, which set off from Barcelona and was scheduled to arrive this morning, had been flanked by NATO warships for part of the journey.
The attempt has received a lot of attention, with Nelson Mandela’s grandson, a former Barcelona mayor and several European legislators taking part.
Israel said the mission was violating a lawful blockade and is only intended to provoke. The country also claimed it had offered a way to deliver any aid peacefully through safe channels.
Organisers said the night-time interception was the second time the flotilla had been approached on Wednesday, after “warships” earlier encircled two of its boats.
The flotilla set off from Barcelona on 31 August and later stopped in Sicily
Last week, drones also reportedly dropped stun grenades and itching powder on some vessels.
Israel didn’t comment, but has said it will use any means to stop the boats getting to Gaza.
Protests have broken out in Italy and Turkey over the treatment of the flotilla.
Italy’s largest union has called a general strike tomorrow, saying the “attack on civilian vessels carrying Italian citizens represents an extremely serious matter”.
Turkey’s foreign ministry called Israel’s interception an “attack” and “an act of terror” that endangered lives of those on board.
Gaza has been dealing with severe food shortages due to the ongoing war.
Thunberg and activist Saif Abukeshek. Pic: Reuters/Nacho Doce
Agencies such as the UN accused Israel of deliberately slowing the delivery of supplies – something it denies.
However, the aid being carried by the flotilla is said to only be a symbolic amount of food and medicine.
An aid boat carrying Thunberg was also intercepted near Gaza in June, with the Swede deported alongside others.
Israel put in it sea blockade when Hamas took control of the territory in 2007 and there have been several attempts to break it since then.
Some of those involved in the latest campaign have said they will start a hunger strike if they’re detained.
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Meanwhile, all eyes remain on Hamas and whether it will accept Donald Trump’s peace plan to end the two-year war, sparked by the group’s terror attack on Israel.
The 20-point proposal was unveiled alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House this week.
Hamas said it would study the plan and consult with other factions, but didn’t give an indication of when it would deliver its verdict.
Mr Trump said on Tuesday he would give the group “three or four days” to respond.
