Israel vows to prevent aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg reaching Gaza
Israel Katz said on Sunday that Israel will not allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he said is aimed at preventing Hamas from importing arms.
Climate campaigner Thunberg is among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
The vessel departed Sicily last Sunday on a mission that aims to break the sea blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid, while raising awareness over the growing humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave.
The activists had said they planned to reach Gaza's territorial waters a week later.
Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, is among the others onboard. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies towards the Palestinians.
After a three-month total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing some basic aid into Gaza last month, but humanitarian workers have warned of famine unless the blockade and the war end.
An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza by sea failed after another of the group's vessels was attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship.
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Daily Mirror
44 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Freedom Flotilla tracker live as Greta Thunberg aims to break Israel's aid seige
An aid boat carrying some of the biggest activists including Greta Thunberg is just 150 nautical miles from Gaza, campaigners have revealed. The vessel, dubbed Madleen, aims to break the sea blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian support to thousands of people. The boat, which is being operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, left Sicily last Sunday, with the aim to reach Gaza's territorial waters by the end of this week. Thunberg, who is amongst 12 activists aboard the ship, earlier called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. 'We will try to break the siege and open humanitarian corridors to Gaza,' she said. In an update on the ship's whereabouts, human rights campaigner Yasemin Acar said they were close, but warned: "We could be cut out from the world any moment.' She said on Telegram: "We believe that we will reach Gaza, and that's why it's so important that you all play your part in this to make sure that there is no interception. Contact your local politicians. Contact everyone you know, everyone who is in power, everyone that you voted into power. They have the power, first and foremost, to stop this genocide, then they have power to lift this illegal siege." It comes as Israel's defence minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that Israel will not allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he said is aimed at preventing Hamas from importing arms. He said in a statement: 'To the antisemitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propagandists – I will say this clearly: You should turn back, because you will not make it to Gaza.' Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, is among the others onboard. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies towards the Palestinians. After a three-month total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing some basic aid into Gaza last month, but humanitarian workers have warned of famine unless the blockade and the war end. An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza by sea failed after another of the group's vessels was attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship. To follow the Madleen vessel on its journey, visit the official Freedom Flotilla tracker here.
The National
an hour ago
- The National
The whole world is watching the Madleen's journey to Gaza
The 12 people on board the vessel, members of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, are hoping to deliver much needed aid and to break Israel's humanitarian blockade on Gaza. But Israel is trying to stop them. Just this afternoon, Israel's defence minister Israel Katz said he had ordered the military to intercept the vessel before it can reach Gaza. With less than 24 hours to go until the ship is expected to reach its destination, it has never been more important for the international community to bear witness. And thanks to social media, the efforts of the group – and Israel's effort to prevent them – cannot go ignored. READ MORE: LIVE: Latest updates as Freedom Flotilla nears Gaza We are seeing the journey of the Madleen in real time. The ship's tracker is available online and can pinpoint exactly where it is at any given moment. This is vital in ensuring accountability for any attacks or attempts to intercept the vessel. At least, we could see the tracker until earlier today, when it lost signal for around an hour and displayed the ship's coordinates as being in Jordan. The group later said that the issue was due to 'signal jamming', and they set up a new tracker which is currently working as it should. The group remain on course, undeterred, even though an attack may be imminent. As the Freedom Flotilla Coalition state, 'the tracker is not simply a navigation tool; it is a form of protection'. The Madleen's journey is visible to all, making it harder for any interceptions to go ignored or unchallenged. The 12 individuals on board – including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, and French-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan – have also utilised social media to ensure that their journey is broadcast to the entire world. READ MORE: Freedom Flotilla urges UK Government to 'protect' ship from Israel as it nears Gaza When drones began to hover above the ship, we knew about it. When the ship had to divert its course to a mayday call, we could track its movements as it happened. Constant updates, tweets and livestreams are shared on social media, ensuring that everything can be recorded and remembered. In broadcasting the intimidation the Madleen is experiencing, the crew are not intending to undermine the brutal bombardment, starvation and displacement Palestinians are experiencing at the hands of Israel. As Thunberg shared recently on her own social media: "Keep all eyes on deck but above all, all eyes on Palestine and all oppressed people." The Madleen's journey so far demonstrates the aggression humanitarian organisations face when trying to deliver aid in Gaza. When Israel has banned foreign press from entering the enclave, and it continues to bomb the few Palestinian journalists who remain, this is an important insight which ensures accountability and transparency. We are witnessing a crucial moment in Israel's assault on Gaza – one that could have huge international implications if the Madleen is subject to attack. The next 24 hours will decide everything. And no matter what happens, we will be watching.
Belfast Telegraph
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Four arrests after disorder at ‘Great March for Gaza' protest in Co Armagh as police probe terror flag
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