Israeli forces intercept an aid flotilla heading to Gaza

Israeli forces intercepted a new convoy heading to the Gaza Strip, carrying food and medical supplies.

The flotilla of nine ships and 150 people was stopped in international waters, according to the Freedom Flotilla coalition and A Thousand Madeleines to Gaza, which are jointly running the operation.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said, “Another futile attempt to break the legal naval blockade and enter a combat zone ended in failure.”

Last week, the Israeli army stopped an aid convoy consisting of 42 boats carrying 479 pro-Palestinian activists. Most, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, were arrested and later deported, but 138 remain in detention.

Organizers of the new attempt initially said that three of their boats were intercepted in the early hours of Wednesday morning, 120 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza.

Within hours, the live tracking device showed that all nine boats had stopped.

The Israeli government said: “The ships and passengers were transferred to an Israeli port. The Israeli government said that all passengers are safe and in good health.”

The passengers are expected to be deported immediately.”

The 150 passengers hail from a wide range of countries, including Turkey, whose Foreign Ministry described the intervention as a “serious violation of international law” and an “act of piracy.”

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 67,183 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the Strip’s Ministry of Health.

Israel has imposed a naval blockade off the coast of Gaza since 2007, when Hamas took control of the Strip.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said at least 460 Palestinians have died from the effects of malnutrition since the start of the war, including a large number in Gaza City, which has been at the heart of an Israeli military campaign in recent weeks.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, which is supported by the United Nations, confirmed the presence of famine in Gaza City and warned that it could spread within weeks.

Israel disputes the findings of the international investigation committee. It insists that it is acting in accordance with international law and facilitating the entry of aid into Gaza.