Israel threatens to block arrival of activist ship Madleen in Gaza
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has ordered the military not to allow a sailing ship carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists to enter the Gaza Strip.
'Israel will not allow anyone to break the naval blockade of the Gaza Strip,' Katz said in a statement on X.
He said he had ordered the armed forces to prevent the arrival of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition's ship Madleen.
Addressing Thunberg and the 11 other activists on board, Katz said: 'You should turn back because you will not reach Gaza.'
The defence minister described the ship's crew as 'left-wing extremist activists.'He emphasized that the naval blockade of Gaza was introduced in 2007 after the Palestinian Hamas came to power.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition says it wants to bring relief supplies, including baby food and medical supplies, to the desperate people in the devastated Gaza Strip, and has repeatedly emphasised that there are no weapons on board.
The activists also want to draw international attention to the humanitarian situation on the ground.
The Madleen set sail from Sicily a week ago and aims to reach the coast on Monday.
On Sunday afternoon, the ship was less than 300 kilometres from its destination, north of the Egyptian coast.
In videos posted on Instagram, the group has accused Israel of jamming its communication devices in order to intercept the ship or even prepare an attack. (DPA)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Jazeera
11 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says 5 aid workers killed in attack
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the United States and Israel-backed organisation established to supplant the aid work of the United Nations, has accused Hamas of killing five staff and wounding multiple others in an attack on a bus en route to a food distribution centre. A bus carrying more than two dozen Palestinians working with the organisation was 'brutally attacked' while travelling to a distribution centre west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, the foundation said in a statement on Wednesday night. While the organisation was still gathering facts, 'at least' five people were killed and there were 'multiple injuries', the foundation said, adding there were fears that some of its staff had been taken captive. 'We condemn this heinous and deliberate attack in the strongest possible terms. These were aid workers. Humanitarians, brothers, sons, and friends, who were risking their lives every day to help others,' the foundation said. 'Our hearts are broken and our thoughts and prayers are with every victim, every family, and every person still unaccounted for.' Hamas, which governs Gaza, did not immediately comment on the claims. Hamas earlier this week denied that it had threatened the foundation after the organisation accused the Palestinian group of making 'direct threats' against its operations. The aid organisation, which is led by Johnnie Moore, an evangelical Christian who advised US President Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, has been mired in controversy since beginning operations on May 27. The UN and aid groups have boycotted the foundation over concerns that it does not meet basic humanitarian standards and is not independent of Israel. Numerous Israeli attacks on Palestinians have taken place near the foundation's distribution sites in Rafah and the Netzarim Corridor, On Wednesday, 57 people were killed and more than 363 injured as they tried to access aid at the sites, Gaza's Health Ministry said. More than 220 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid since the foundation began operations, according to Gaza health authorities. In its statement, the foundation, which on Saturday reported that it had been unable to distribute aid due to Hamas threats, said the attack 'did not happen in a vacuum'. 'For days, Hamas has openly threatened our team, our aid workers, and the civilians who receive aid from us. These threats were met with silence,' the foundation said. 'Tonight the world must see this for what it is: an attack on humanity,' the foundation added. 'We call on the international community to immediately condemn Hamas for this unprovoked attack and continued threat against our people simply trying to feed the Palestinian people.'
Al Jazeera
13 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says 5 aid workers killed by Hamas
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the United States and Israel-backed organisation established to supplant the aid work of the United Nations, has accused Hamas of killing five staff and wounding multiple others in an attack on a bus en route to a food distribution centre. A bus carrying more than two dozen Palestinians working with the organisation was 'brutally attacked' while travelling to a distribution centre west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, the foundation said in a statement on Wednesday night. While the organisation was still gathering facts, 'at least' five people were killed and there were 'multiple injuries', the foundation said, adding there were fears that some of its staff had been taken captive. 'We condemn this heinous and deliberate attack in the strongest possible terms. These were aid workers. Humanitarians, brothers, sons, and friends, who were risking their lives every day to help others,' the foundation said. 'Our hearts are broken and our thoughts and prayers are with every victim, every family, and every person still unaccounted for.' Hamas, which governs Gaza, did not immediately comment on the claims. Hamas earlier this week denied that it had threatened the foundation after the organisation accused the Palestinian group of making 'direct threats' against its operations. The aid organisation has been strongly criticised by the UN and rights groups, which have accused it of failing to meet basic humanitarian standards. Numerous Israeli attacks on Palestinians have taken place near the foundation's distribution sites in Rafah and the Netzarim Corridor, with more than 220 people killed since the group began operations on May 27, according to Gaza health authorities. In its statement, the foundation, which on Saturday reported that it had been unable to distribute aid due to Hamas threats, said the attack 'did not happen in a vacuum'. 'For days, Hamas has openly threatened our team, our aid workers, and the civilians who receive aid from us. These threats were met with silence,' the foundation said. 'Tonight the world must see this for what it is: an attack on humanity,' the foundation added. 'We call on the international community to immediately condemn Hamas for this unprovoked attack and continued threat against our people simply trying to feed the Palestinian people.'
Qatar Tribune
15 hours ago
- Qatar Tribune
Israel deports 4 from intercepted Gaza-bound Madleen; others held
Israel has deported Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and three others, a day after seizing the Gaza-bound humanitarian aid ship on which she was sailing in a crew of 12. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thunberg flew out of Tel Aviv early on Tuesday, bound for Sweden via France, and released her photos on the flight. Upon arriving in Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport, Thunberg told reporters she and her companions had been 'kidnapped in international waters'. Al Jazeera's Natacha Butler, who was among the journalists interviewing Thunberg at the Paris airport, said, 'She clearly looked very tired and was in the same clothes she was wearing when she was detained … This has been quite a difficult number of hours for her.' While Thunberg said she was 'OK', she described being treated in a 'dehumanising way' by Israeli authorities, said Butler. However, she emphasised that her brief detention was nothing compared with what Palestinians regularly endure under Israeli occupation, Butler added. According to the legal rights group Adalah, which is representing Thunberg and the other activists and a journalist who sailed in the Madleen vessel towards Gaza, she was among four crew members who accepted deportation. The remaining crew members will remain in Israeli custody before appearing before judicial authorities. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said five of those subject to forced deportation proceedings are French nationals who have received consular support. One of them is French Member of European Parliament Rima Hassan, who refused to sign a document stating she had entered Israeli territory illegally, according to French lawmaker Clemence Guette. Large rallies have taken place in France and other countries to protest against Israel's interception of the Madleen and the crew's detention. It was carrying humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formula, to Gaza, in a bid to raise awareness about the dire humanitarian crisis in the enclave. On Tuesday, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition confirmed the status of those who were aboard the Madleen. (Agencies)
