Israeli military 'boards' Gaza-bound aid ship carrying activist Greta Thunberg
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) said early on Monday the Israeli military had "boarded" the Gaza-bound charity ship the Madleen. The Madleen left Italy on 1 June with the aim of delivering aid and challenging the Israeli blockade. Connections have been lost on the ship, the FFC said in a post on Telegram. "Connection has been lost on the 'Madleen'. Israeli army have boarded the vessel," it said in the post. It comes after Israeli defence minister Israel Katz ordered the military to stop the charity boat
"I instructed the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] to act so that the Madleen ... does not reach Gaza," Katz said in a statement. "To the antisemitic Greta and her Hamas-propaganda-spouting friends, I say clearly: You'd better turn back, because you will not reach Gaza." Thunberg said she joined the Madleen crew to "challenge Israel's illegal siege and escalating war crimes" in Gaza and highlight the urgent need for humanitarian aid. She has rejected previous Israeli accusations of antisemitism.
Katz said the blockade was essential to Israel's national security as it seeks to eliminate Hamas. "The State of Israel will not allow anyone to break the naval blockade on Gaza, whose primary purpose is to prevent the transfer of weapons to Hamas," he said. The Madleen is carrying a symbolic quantity of aid, including rice and baby formula, the FFC has said. Israeli media earlier reported the military plans to intercept the yacht before it reaches Gaza and escort it to the Israeli port of Ashdod. The crew would then be deported.
Four people were killed and others injured by Israeli forces on Sunday as Palestinians making their way towards an aid distribution site in the southern Gaza Strip came under fire, according to Palestinian paramedics. The Israeli military said in a statement troops had opened fire in southern Gaza but said that it had directed warning shots at a group that was moving towards soldiers and deemed a threat to them. The GHF, which is providing aid under an Israeli initiative that is bypassing traditional relief agencies who say their deliveries into Israeli-blockaded Gaza have been restricted, said it had handed out 1.15 million meals across three sites in southern and central Gaza without incident on Sunday.
Another senior Hamas leader, Muhammad Shabana, commander of the Rafah Brigade, was also found dead at the scene, according to IDF spokesperson, Brigadier General Effie Defrin. Israeli forces gave a small group of foreign reporters a tour of the tunnel that had been uncovered beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis, which Defrin said was a major command and control compound for Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sinwar's death last month, but Defrin said they now had his DNA which proved beyond doubt it was him.
Shabana was one of Hamas's most senior and battle-hardened commanders in southern Gaza. He played a central role in constructing the network of tunnels under the southern city of Rafah, which were used for ambushes and cross-border raids.
Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza following the October 2023 assault in which Hamas-led gunmen killed 1,200 people and took around 250 hostages. Israel's campaign has since killed more than 54,880 Palestinians, local health authorities say, and displaced much of the enclave's population. The UN has warned most of Gaza's 2.3 million population is at risk of famine.
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The Advertiser
34 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Israel stops Gaza-bound humanitarian aid ship carrying Greta Thunberg
Israeli forces stopped a Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists early Monday and diverted it to Israel, enforcing a longstanding blockade of the Palestinian territory that has been tightened during the war with Hamas. "The 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel," the Foreign Ministry said in a social media post. "The passengers are expected to return to their home countries." It said the humanitarian aid aboard the ship would be transferred to Gaza through established channels. It later circulated footage of what appeared to be Israeli military personnel handing out sandwiches and water to the activists, who were wearing orange life vests. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which had organised the voyage to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and protest Israel's blockade and wartime conduct, said the activists had been "kidnapped by Israeli forces" and released pre-recorded messages from them. Thunberg, a climate campaigner, was among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which set sail from Sicily a week ago. Along the way, it had stopped on Thursday to rescue four migrants who had jumped overboard to avoid being detained by the Libyan coast guard. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was also among the volunteers on board. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. After a 21/2-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 is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive. 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. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Critics of the blockade say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's roughly 2 million Palestinians. Israel sealed Gaza off from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, but later relented under U.S. pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine. Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages, more than half of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up most of the dead. It doesn't say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of the territory's population, leaving people there almost completely dependent on international aid. Israeli forces stopped a Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists early Monday and diverted it to Israel, enforcing a longstanding blockade of the Palestinian territory that has been tightened during the war with Hamas. "The 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel," the Foreign Ministry said in a social media post. "The passengers are expected to return to their home countries." It said the humanitarian aid aboard the ship would be transferred to Gaza through established channels. It later circulated footage of what appeared to be Israeli military personnel handing out sandwiches and water to the activists, who were wearing orange life vests. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which had organised the voyage to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and protest Israel's blockade and wartime conduct, said the activists had been "kidnapped by Israeli forces" and released pre-recorded messages from them. Thunberg, a climate campaigner, was among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which set sail from Sicily a week ago. Along the way, it had stopped on Thursday to rescue four migrants who had jumped overboard to avoid being detained by the Libyan coast guard. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was also among the volunteers on board. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. After a 21/2-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 is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive. 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. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Critics of the blockade say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's roughly 2 million Palestinians. Israel sealed Gaza off from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, but later relented under U.S. pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine. Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages, more than half of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up most of the dead. It doesn't say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of the territory's population, leaving people there almost completely dependent on international aid. Israeli forces stopped a Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists early Monday and diverted it to Israel, enforcing a longstanding blockade of the Palestinian territory that has been tightened during the war with Hamas. "The 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel," the Foreign Ministry said in a social media post. "The passengers are expected to return to their home countries." It said the humanitarian aid aboard the ship would be transferred to Gaza through established channels. It later circulated footage of what appeared to be Israeli military personnel handing out sandwiches and water to the activists, who were wearing orange life vests. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which had organised the voyage to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and protest Israel's blockade and wartime conduct, said the activists had been "kidnapped by Israeli forces" and released pre-recorded messages from them. Thunberg, a climate campaigner, was among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which set sail from Sicily a week ago. Along the way, it had stopped on Thursday to rescue four migrants who had jumped overboard to avoid being detained by the Libyan coast guard. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was also among the volunteers on board. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. After a 21/2-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 is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive. 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. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Critics of the blockade say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's roughly 2 million Palestinians. Israel sealed Gaza off from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, but later relented under U.S. pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine. Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages, more than half of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up most of the dead. It doesn't say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of the territory's population, leaving people there almost completely dependent on international aid. Israeli forces stopped a Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists early Monday and diverted it to Israel, enforcing a longstanding blockade of the Palestinian territory that has been tightened during the war with Hamas. "The 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel," the Foreign Ministry said in a social media post. "The passengers are expected to return to their home countries." It said the humanitarian aid aboard the ship would be transferred to Gaza through established channels. It later circulated footage of what appeared to be Israeli military personnel handing out sandwiches and water to the activists, who were wearing orange life vests. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which had organised the voyage to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and protest Israel's blockade and wartime conduct, said the activists had been "kidnapped by Israeli forces" and released pre-recorded messages from them. Thunberg, a climate campaigner, was among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which set sail from Sicily a week ago. Along the way, it had stopped on Thursday to rescue four migrants who had jumped overboard to avoid being detained by the Libyan coast guard. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was also among the volunteers on board. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. After a 21/2-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 is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive. 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. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Critics of the blockade say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's roughly 2 million Palestinians. Israel sealed Gaza off from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, but later relented under U.S. pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine. Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages, more than half of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up most of the dead. It doesn't say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of the territory's population, leaving people there almost completely dependent on international aid.
The Advertiser
34 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Israel stops Gaza aid boat, detains Greta Thunberg
Israeli forces have stopped a Gaza-bound aid boat and detained Greta Thunberg and other activists who were on board, enforcing a longstanding blockade of the Palestinian territory that has been tightened during the war with Hamas. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which had organised the voyage to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and protest Israel's blockade and wartime conduct, said the activists had been "kidnapped by Israeli forces" early on Monday and released pre-recorded messages from them. "Greta Thunberg has been kidnapped by the Israeli military," it said in an Instagram post. "The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo - including baby formula, food and medical supplies - confiscated," it said in a statement. Israel's Foreign Ministry cast the voyage as a public relations stunt, saying in a post on X that "the 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel". It said the passengers would return to their home countries and the aid would be delivered to Gaza through established channels. It later circulated footage of what appeared to be Israeli military personnel handing out sandwiches and water to the activists, who were wearing orange life vests. Thunberg, a climate campaigner, was among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which set sail from Sicily on Friday. Along the way, it had stopped on Thursday to rescue four migrants who had jumped overboard to avoid being detained by the Libyan coast guard. "I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible," Thunberg said in a pre-recorded message released after the ship was diverted. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was also among the volunteers on board. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. After a 10 week 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 is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive. 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. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Critics of the blockade say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's roughly two million Palestinians. Israel sealed Gaza off from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, but later relented under US pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine. Hamas-led militants killed around 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages, more than half of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up most of the dead. It doesn't say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90 per cent of the territory's population, leaving people there almost completely dependent on international aid. with dpa and Reuters Israeli forces have stopped a Gaza-bound aid boat and detained Greta Thunberg and other activists who were on board, enforcing a longstanding blockade of the Palestinian territory that has been tightened during the war with Hamas. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which had organised the voyage to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and protest Israel's blockade and wartime conduct, said the activists had been "kidnapped by Israeli forces" early on Monday and released pre-recorded messages from them. "Greta Thunberg has been kidnapped by the Israeli military," it said in an Instagram post. "The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo - including baby formula, food and medical supplies - confiscated," it said in a statement. Israel's Foreign Ministry cast the voyage as a public relations stunt, saying in a post on X that "the 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel". It said the passengers would return to their home countries and the aid would be delivered to Gaza through established channels. It later circulated footage of what appeared to be Israeli military personnel handing out sandwiches and water to the activists, who were wearing orange life vests. Thunberg, a climate campaigner, was among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which set sail from Sicily on Friday. Along the way, it had stopped on Thursday to rescue four migrants who had jumped overboard to avoid being detained by the Libyan coast guard. "I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible," Thunberg said in a pre-recorded message released after the ship was diverted. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was also among the volunteers on board. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. After a 10 week 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 is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive. 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. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Critics of the blockade say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's roughly two million Palestinians. Israel sealed Gaza off from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, but later relented under US pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine. Hamas-led militants killed around 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages, more than half of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up most of the dead. It doesn't say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90 per cent of the territory's population, leaving people there almost completely dependent on international aid. with dpa and Reuters Israeli forces have stopped a Gaza-bound aid boat and detained Greta Thunberg and other activists who were on board, enforcing a longstanding blockade of the Palestinian territory that has been tightened during the war with Hamas. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which had organised the voyage to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and protest Israel's blockade and wartime conduct, said the activists had been "kidnapped by Israeli forces" early on Monday and released pre-recorded messages from them. "Greta Thunberg has been kidnapped by the Israeli military," it said in an Instagram post. "The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo - including baby formula, food and medical supplies - confiscated," it said in a statement. Israel's Foreign Ministry cast the voyage as a public relations stunt, saying in a post on X that "the 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel". It said the passengers would return to their home countries and the aid would be delivered to Gaza through established channels. It later circulated footage of what appeared to be Israeli military personnel handing out sandwiches and water to the activists, who were wearing orange life vests. Thunberg, a climate campaigner, was among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which set sail from Sicily on Friday. Along the way, it had stopped on Thursday to rescue four migrants who had jumped overboard to avoid being detained by the Libyan coast guard. "I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible," Thunberg said in a pre-recorded message released after the ship was diverted. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was also among the volunteers on board. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. After a 10 week 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 is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive. 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. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Critics of the blockade say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's roughly two million Palestinians. Israel sealed Gaza off from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, but later relented under US pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine. Hamas-led militants killed around 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages, more than half of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up most of the dead. It doesn't say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90 per cent of the territory's population, leaving people there almost completely dependent on international aid. with dpa and Reuters Israeli forces have stopped a Gaza-bound aid boat and detained Greta Thunberg and other activists who were on board, enforcing a longstanding blockade of the Palestinian territory that has been tightened during the war with Hamas. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which had organised the voyage to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and protest Israel's blockade and wartime conduct, said the activists had been "kidnapped by Israeli forces" early on Monday and released pre-recorded messages from them. "Greta Thunberg has been kidnapped by the Israeli military," it said in an Instagram post. "The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo - including baby formula, food and medical supplies - confiscated," it said in a statement. Israel's Foreign Ministry cast the voyage as a public relations stunt, saying in a post on X that "the 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel". It said the passengers would return to their home countries and the aid would be delivered to Gaza through established channels. It later circulated footage of what appeared to be Israeli military personnel handing out sandwiches and water to the activists, who were wearing orange life vests. Thunberg, a climate campaigner, was among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which set sail from Sicily on Friday. Along the way, it had stopped on Thursday to rescue four migrants who had jumped overboard to avoid being detained by the Libyan coast guard. "I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible," Thunberg said in a pre-recorded message released after the ship was diverted. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was also among the volunteers on board. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. After a 10 week 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 is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive. 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. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Critics of the blockade say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's roughly two million Palestinians. Israel sealed Gaza off from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, but later relented under US pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine. Hamas-led militants killed around 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages, more than half of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up most of the dead. It doesn't say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90 per cent of the territory's population, leaving people there almost completely dependent on international aid. with dpa and Reuters
SBS Australia
an hour ago
- SBS Australia
Israeli army boards activist aid ship
Israeli army boards activist flotilla with Greta Thunberg aboard Sarah Snook scores Tony Award for Dorian Gray Maroons coach cuts captain Cherry-Evans from Origin game two Activists say Israeli troops have boarded a ship trying to bring a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza - with the aim of raising awareness of humanitarian crisis. In a statement, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition says they have lost connection with the ship, shortly after it was boarded by the Israeli army. Speaking to SBS Arabic, Australian Palestinian activist Tania Safi, who is part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, questioned the Australian government's response. "I think the biggest question to ask is: Why do we live in a world where sending humanitarian aid to a genocided population of starving people is such a risk. It shouldn't be. Why our government who have all the resources in the world not intervening firstly by stopping the genocide from happening in the first place and by sanctioning Israel." The activists on board the ship include climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and national citizens from Germany, France, Brazil, Turkey, Sweden, Spain and the Netherlands. Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz earlier announced that Israel wouldn't allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he said was aimed at preventing Hamas from importing arms. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has expressed solidarity with the Mexican community in the United States, after raids by immigration authorities in the Los Angeles area. National Guard units deployed to Los Angeles by President Donald Trump have used tear gas to force back protesters in Los Angeles. The protests started on Friday and has since spread to other locations, after US Immigration and Customs Enforcement made more than 100 arrests during raids in the city in one week. Ms Sheinbaum has defended Mexican migrants living in America, following reports that 35 of those detained are Mexican nationals. "Mexican men and women living in the United States are good people, honest people who went to the United States to seek a better life for themselves and to contribute to their families. They are not criminals; they are good, honest men and women. They have the full solidarity of their government." Citing a rarely used law, President Donald Trump has bypassed California's governor Gavin Newsom, and ordered 2-thousand national guard troops to Los Angeles for 60 days. It is the first time a president has called in the National Guard without a state's request or consent since 1965. Former prime minister Scott Morrison says he is honoured and grateful to have been appointed to Australia's highest civilian honour. He is one of 14 people appointed as a Companion of the Order of Australia in the annual King's Birthday Honours List, along with filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and Oscar-winning costume designer Catherine Martin. Every former prime minister has been appointed the title in the honours list since their inception in 1975, with the exception of Paul Keating, who turned it down. Mr Morrison says he is proud to accept the honour. "I am very humbled by the recognition and thankful to the Australian people who gave me the opportunity to serve as Prime Minister during one of the most difficult periods in Australia's history. Everything from natural disasters to the COVID-19 pandemic, the recession it caused. The threats we faced in the Indo-Pacific and the assertions and coercions of China - and our response to that. But through all of that, the Australian people were absolutely amazing." Britain's Prince of Wales has called for urgent global action to protect oceans, saying the clock is ticking. The remarks come ahead of the third United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice amid a growing global push to protect 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030 — a goal endorsed by more than 190 countries. Prince William says he believes urgency and optimism have the power to bring about the action needed. "Healthy oceans are essential to all life on Earth. They generate half of the world's oxygen, regulate our climate, and provide food for more than 3 billion people and today they need our help. Rising sea temperatures, plastic pollution and overfishing are putting pressure on these fragile ecosystems. We all stand to be impacted, and we are all responsible for change. There remains time to turn this tide." Prince William also praised environmentalist Sir David Attenborough's latest documentary, "Ocean with David Attenborough", describing it as the most compelling argument for immediate action he has ever seen. The documentary includes never-before-seen footage of mass coral bleaching, dwindling fish stocks and industrial-scale exploitation, which reveal just how vulnerable the sea has become. Australian actress Sarah Snook has been awarded Best Actress at the Tony Awards, for her role in the Broadway play, Dorian Gray. Industry veterans have called the performance, in which she plays all 26 characters, groundbreaking and extraordinary. 'Thank you so so much for this. This means so much for a little Australian girl to be here on Broadway. Thank you to my incredible team - Billy, Scott and Jenny and Ben; and just everybody on stage. It is billed as a one-person show and I don't feel alone any night that I do this show. There are so many people on stage making it work. And so many people behind the stage making it work." The Adelaide-born actress has previously won a prestigious Olivier Award for the performance, with the production originally produced by the Sydney Theatre Company before it went overseas. The play has been nominated six times at this Tony Awards, with Australians including director Kip Williams also up for a prize. To sport and In the NRL, Daly Cherry-Evans has been dropped from Queensland's starting line-up for State of Origin game two set for Wednesday week. Billy Slater has become the first Queensland coach to drop a Maroons [[muh-ROHNs]] skipper mid-series since Trevor Gillmeister in 1996. Beau Fermor has also been dropped from the team, with new additions to include Kurt Capewell, Corey Horsburgh, Jack Howarth and Ezra Mam. NRL legend Cameron Smith told Channel Nine, it's a huge announcement. "It will be unfortunate for Daly to finish his Origin career this way. But I think there has been calls for change for this Queensland side. They were way below their best in game one. You know, I think the coach, Billy Slater - he is looking to make a bit of an impact with this second game because it is do or die for Queensland." The squad for the Blues will be announced later today.
