Activists said on a malfunction of the ships sailing towards Gaza late on Wednesday that the Israeli navy intercepted three of its boats while they were approaching the besieged Palestinian territories. The Israeli authorities said that the activists on the plane, including Gretta Thonberg, were safe and transported them to Israel.
The global Somoud fleet, which consists of approximately 50 boats and 500 activists, carries a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Three ships were intercepted, about 130 km from the Gaza coast, according to the organizers who participated in live locations of the fleet.
About ten naval ships approached the fleet as their respondents moved, according to Greg Stoker, an old American warrior on one of the other boats.
He said in a fragile video on Instagram: “They are currently having our ships, telling us to turn off our engines and wait for more instructions, or our boats will be seized and we will face the consequences.” The Israeli authorities used water cannons against some boats, Sticker and other activists reported on social media.
The group, which also includes the grandson of Nelson Mandela, Mandilla Mandela, the former Barcelona mayor Ada Colo and many European legislators, said that she has been unavoidable in her mission to break the Israeli siege and provide assistance to the Palestinians.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted a video on X showing Thunberg sitting on the deck that was delivered with a bottle of water and rain coat. “Greta and her friends are safe and desert,” she said.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the Israeli operation is expected to take two to three hours. He told State TV Rai that boats will be withdrawn to the Ashdod port in Israel and activists will be deported in the coming days. He also said that the Israeli forces were told “not to use violence.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Israel released a video on Wednesday, which was verified by Reuters, and it seems that it shows the Swedish climate campaign Greta Thonberg and surrounded by many convincing and gunmen. The video clip was accompanied by the ministry on X, in which he said that several ships from the Gaza Aid fleet were stopped and their passengers were transferred to an Israeli port.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Türkiye condemned the objection of the boats it condemns as a “terrorist act” and the violation of the severe law of international law. In a statement, the ministry said it is taking initiatives to ensure the immediate release of Turkish citizens and other travelers detained by the Israeli forces.
“Danger Zone”
The ships were sailing in international waters in northern Egypt, but they entered what activists and others called the “danger zone” – an area that stopped the Israeli navy, other boats trying to break the siege, which was warned of the luxury of not crossing it.
After a tense confrontation with two Israeli military ships in the early hours of Wednesday, the activists resumed their journey and were broadcasting their journey on the matches of many boats. Some activists have held messages of solidarity with people in Gaza, and “Free Palestine!” On the camera. Music can be heard while playing in the background.
With the fall of the night, they discovered through the radar many microscopic ships approaching and put their lives before the imminent Israeli army arrived. Some activists managed to broadcast the moment when the Israeli forces dealt with live from their smartphones before throwing their devices in the water.
The organizers said earlier that the fleet, which started its journey from the Spanish port of Barcelona a month ago, was to reach the shores of Gaza on Thursday morning.
Activists admitted that the scenario was unlikely and they expected the Israeli authorities to try to stop them at any moment, as they did in previous attempts.
But this fleet, with dozens of boats, was the biggest attempt to break the Israeli maritime blockade in the 18 -year Gaza Strip.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the Israeli navy had contacted the fleet earlier on Wednesday, warning them that they were approaching the “active fighting zone” and asked them to change the path, as the Israeli Foreign Ministry said, it released its offer to transfer aid to Gaza through other channels. Jideon’s Foreign Minister Sar described that the fleet was provocative.
The government of Israel accused some members of the fleet of enthusiasm, while providing few evidence to support this claim. Activists strongly rejected the accusations and said that Israel was trying to justify the potential attacks on it.
As it happens6:38The aid fleet is determined to carry out its mission because it is approaching the beaches of Gaza
European governments, including Spain and Italy, who sent their naval ships to accompany the fleet during part of their journey, have urged activists to return and avoid confrontation. But while Prime Minister Italy, Georgia Meloni, said late on Tuesday that the fleet’s actions may risk undermining the recent proposal of US President Donald Trump to resolve the war in Gaza, the Prime Minister defended Spain.
“It must be remembered that it is a humanitarian mission that will not happen if the Israeli government allows aid to enter,” Pedro Sanchez told reporters on Wednesday. He added that the Spaniards will participate in full diplomatic protection.
“They do not represent any threat or danger to Israel,” he said.
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