logo
Israeli forces halt Gaza-bound aid boat and detain Greta Thunberg and other activists

Israeli forces halt Gaza-bound aid boat and detain Greta Thunberg and other activists

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli forces stopped a Gaza-bound aid boat and detained Greta Thunberg and other activists who were on board early Monday, enforcing a longstanding blockade of the Palestinian territory that has been tightened during the war with Hamas.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which had organized 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.
'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 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.
'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 2 1/2-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.
Winnipeg Jets Game Days
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.
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.
___
Follow AP's war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Family pleads for the release of a Nepali student abducted by Hamas
Family pleads for the release of a Nepali student abducted by Hamas

Winnipeg Free Press

time43 minutes ago

  • Winnipeg Free Press

Family pleads for the release of a Nepali student abducted by Hamas

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — The family of a Nepali man taken captive by the Palestinian militant group Hamas appealed Thursday to his captors for his release, stressing that he has no involvement in the conflict in Gaza. Bipin Joshi, now 25, was among 17 Nepali students studying agriculture in southern Israel during the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack that ignited the war in Gaza. Joshi had worked hard in a government competition to earn a spot to study in Israel, his 17-year-old sister Pushpa Joshi said Thursday in Kathmandu. He arrived in southern Israel just three weeks before the attack. It was his first time out of Nepal. 'Bipin Joshi is an innocent agriculture student,' Pushpa Joshi said. 'He is a student who has a long life ahead of him, who is just 25 years now.' Militants killed 10 of the Nepali students in the attack and injured six. Joshi saved multiple lives by tossing a live grenade out of the bomb shelter where they were hiding, his sister said, before he was abducted and taken to Gaza. His family hasn't had a sign of life from him since Israel obtained security footage from a hospital in Gaza showing Joshi, so they know Joshi was taken alive to Gaza, but have no information about him since then. Pushpa, who was 15 when her brother was kidnapped, lives with their parents in a town in western Nepal. She travels eight hours each direction on buses to Kathmandu regularly to lobby officials to secure her brother's release. She has met the country's prime minister and president several times. Nepal's government says it has repeatedly sought help from Qatari and Egyptian officials to get Joshi freed. 'He is alive and we believe from the bottom of our hearts that he for sure is going to come back all safe and sound,' Pushpa said. 'We have big hopes that he will be back.' Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages in the Oct. 7 attack. They are still holding 53 hostages, around 20 them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight living hostages from Gaza and recovered dozens of bodies, including five over the past week. In the ensuing conflict, more than 55,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed 'doubts' about whether several hostages are still alive. None of the previously released hostages have seen Bipin Joshi recently during their captivity. His parents are constantly monitoring news about the Gaza conflict, and get their hopes up whenever they see signs of a hostage release. 'News is always on, all day from the morning to night, at our house,' Pushpa Joshi said. They also are in contact with families of other Nepalis who were killed or injured in the attack, though Joshi is the only Nepali hostage. Pushpa said her brother is her best friend, and that they would often learn, sing and dance together while their parents were at work. 'In rainy season like now, we used to get wet in the rain and dance,' she said. He studied diligently to earn the scholarship to study agriculture in Israel, she said. The exchange program at Kibbutz Alumim was close to the Gaza border in a major agricultural area. Nepalese go to Israel for both education and employment, to learn the country's advanced agricultural techniques. Agriculture is the backbone of Nepal's economy, and the primary source of income for more than 60% of the population. —- Associated Press writer Melanie Lidman contributed from Jerusalem.

Robert F. Kennedy met with the CIA after a trip to the Soviet Union, newly declassified files show
Robert F. Kennedy met with the CIA after a trip to the Soviet Union, newly declassified files show

Winnipeg Free Press

time43 minutes ago

  • Winnipeg Free Press

Robert F. Kennedy met with the CIA after a trip to the Soviet Union, newly declassified files show

WASHINGTON (AP) — The CIA released nearly 1,500 pages of previously classified documents relating to Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and his 1968 assassination Thursday, detailing the agency's work to investigate his killing, as well as previously unknown contacts between him and the spy agency. Kennedy met with the CIA following a 1955 tour of the Soviet Union, relaying his observations to the spy agency as a voluntary informant, the documents show. The newly available material comprises 54 documents, including memos about the agency's work to investigate whether RFK's killer had any foreign ties, as well as the response to his killing by foreign powers. President Donald Trump had ordered the release of documents relating to the assassinations of RFK, President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. More than 10,000 pages of records pertaining to RFK's assassination were released in April. 'Today's release delivers on President Trump's commitment to maximum transparency, enabling the CIA to shine light on information that serves the public interest,' CIA Director John Ratcliffe said in a statement. 'I am proud to share our work on this incredibly important topic with the American people.' Kennedy was fatally shot on June 5, 1968, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after giving a speech celebrating his victory in California's presidential primary. His assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, was convicted of first-degree murder and is serving life in prison. Kennedy's contacts with the CIA following his visit to the Soviet Union reflected the tensions of the time, and the high value put on personal observations of Americans who traveled to Russia and other former Soviet regions. Prominent elected officials and business leaders visiting the USSR were often asked to share their observations following their return. The documents show that RFK was a voluntary informant. In a statement Thursday, the CIA showed the meetings reflected RFK's 'patriotic commitment' to serving his country. Many of his observations reflected granular observations about daily life. 'On 29 Aug 55, while in Novosibirsk, USSR, a friend and I visited a State machine factory. The factory has 3,500 employees, of whom one third are women. The wage scale is between 840 and 2,500 rubles,' Kennedy told the CIA interviewer, according to the documents. 'The Director of the plant whose name I do not recall was frosty, although the engineer was friendly.' The CIA used artificial intelligence to scan its library for documents related to RFK's assassination that could be declassified. The search turned up many documents that had little to do with his killing, such as the records of RFK's meeting with the CIA. Kennedy's son, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said he was gratified to see the documents' release. 'Lifting the veil on the RFK papers is a necessary step toward restoring trust in American government,' Kennedy said. ___ The documents can be found online at and

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store