Thai, Cambodian forces return to border after clash
Cambodia's defence ministry has confirmed Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to return their troops to previous border positions after a clash in which a Cambodian soldier was killed prompted both to reinforce their military presence.
The Cambodian statement, which said both sides wished to ease tensions following the incident in an undemarcated area on May 28, came after Thai Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said both countries were in talks to defuse the situation and would revert to positions agreed in 2024.
For days, the two governments have exchanged statements, saying they were committed to finding a peaceful resolution.
Neither gave details about where or to what extent their military forces had been reinforced at the weekend.
Thailand operates 17 official border crossings with Cambodia, spanning seven provinces along their shared 817km frontier, Thai government data shows.
Both countries have for more than a century contested sovereignty at undemarcated points along their shared border, which was mapped by France in 1907 when Cambodia was its colony.
Thailand's Phumtham said both sides hoped the border issue could be fully resolved through bilateral talks, including a meeting of the Joint Boundary Committee on June 14.
Cambodia's Foreign Ministry reiterated a request to bring the border disputes to the International Court of Justice in a letter to Thai officials on June 6.
"Given the complexity, historical nature and sensitivity of these disputes, it is increasingly evident that bilateral dialogue alone may no longer suffice to bring about a comprehensive and lasting solution," Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said in the note shared with reporters on Sunday.
"A decision rendered by the ICJ, grounded in international law, would offer a fair, impartial and durable resolution," he said.
The Thai government has said it does not recognise the court's jurisdiction and proposed that all boundary-related issues be resolved through bilateral negotiations.
Tensions between the countries escalated in 2008 over an 11th-century Hindu temple, leading to skirmishes over several years and at least a dozen deaths, including during a week-long exchange of artillery in 2011.
In the latest flare up, Thailand cut operating hours at 10 border crossings with Cambodia, citing security concerns.
Checkpoints, including the busiest in Thailand's eastern province of Sa Kaeo, halved operating hours on Sunday to 8am to 4pm, from 6am to 10pm previously, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura told reporters.
The governments of Thailand and Cambodia previously enjoyed warmer ties, owing to a friendship between former leaders, Thaksin Shinawatra from Thailand and Cambodia's Hun Sen.
Thaksin's daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and Hun Sen's son, Hun Manet, are now the incumbent prime ministers of their countries and the conflict has raised questions over their relationship.
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19 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Israel deports Greta Thunberg after seizing Gaza boat
Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg has been deported from Israel, the nation's foreign ministry says, the day after the Israeli navy prevented her and a group of fellow pro-Palestinian activists from sailing to Gaza. Thunberg, 22, was put on a flight to France on Tuesday, the ministry said, adding that she would travel on to Sweden from there. Three other people who had been aboard the charity vessel also agreed to immediate repatriation. Eight other crew members are contesting their deportation order, said a statement from Israeli rights group Adalah that advised them. They will be held in a detention centre ahead of a court hearing. It was not immediately clear when that would happen. Israeli forces boarded the charity vessel as it neared Gaza early on Monday, trying to break through Israel's longstanding naval blockade, which has gained international attention since Israel also cut off land access to the strip in March. Israel now allows in only limited supplies of food distributed by a group it backs. The British-flagged yacht was taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod and the 12-strong crew were transferred overnight to Ben Gurion airport. The activists had been carrying a small cargo of humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formula, and said they wanted to raise international awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has been devastated by months of war. Israel dismissed the voyage as a pro-Hamas publicity stunt. "The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the 'celebrities' will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels," the Foreign Ministry said. Israel released an image of Thunberg sitting on a plane ahead of its departure for Paris. She usually refuses to fly because of the carbon emissions of the airline industry. Organisers released a video of Thunberg on Monday, filmed on board the vessel before it was captured, in which she said that if it were taken that would mean Israel had kidnapped her and the rest of the crew in international waters. US President Donald Trump mocked this: "I think Israel has enough problems without kidnapping Greta Thunberg," he said. "She's a young, angry person ... I think she has to go to an anger management class." Israel has imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. Israel says it aims to stop weapons from reaching Hamas. The blockade has remained in place through conflicts including the present war, which began when Hamas-led militants rampaged through southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1200 people and taking 251 hostages by Israeli tallies. Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas has since killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in Hamas-run Gaza, and destroyed most of the homes of its 2.3 million residents. In March Israel imposed a total blockade of all supplies reaching Gaza, which the United Nations says has driven the population to the brink of famine. Over the past two weeks Israel has allowed in limited food supplies to be distributed by a new Israeli-backed group, a step Israel says is necessary to prevent Hamas from diverting aid. Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg has been deported from Israel, the nation's foreign ministry says, the day after the Israeli navy prevented her and a group of fellow pro-Palestinian activists from sailing to Gaza. Thunberg, 22, was put on a flight to France on Tuesday, the ministry said, adding that she would travel on to Sweden from there. Three other people who had been aboard the charity vessel also agreed to immediate repatriation. Eight other crew members are contesting their deportation order, said a statement from Israeli rights group Adalah that advised them. They will be held in a detention centre ahead of a court hearing. It was not immediately clear when that would happen. Israeli forces boarded the charity vessel as it neared Gaza early on Monday, trying to break through Israel's longstanding naval blockade, which has gained international attention since Israel also cut off land access to the strip in March. Israel now allows in only limited supplies of food distributed by a group it backs. The British-flagged yacht was taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod and the 12-strong crew were transferred overnight to Ben Gurion airport. The activists had been carrying a small cargo of humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formula, and said they wanted to raise international awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has been devastated by months of war. Israel dismissed the voyage as a pro-Hamas publicity stunt. "The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the 'celebrities' will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels," the Foreign Ministry said. Israel released an image of Thunberg sitting on a plane ahead of its departure for Paris. She usually refuses to fly because of the carbon emissions of the airline industry. Organisers released a video of Thunberg on Monday, filmed on board the vessel before it was captured, in which she said that if it were taken that would mean Israel had kidnapped her and the rest of the crew in international waters. US President Donald Trump mocked this: "I think Israel has enough problems without kidnapping Greta Thunberg," he said. "She's a young, angry person ... I think she has to go to an anger management class." Israel has imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. Israel says it aims to stop weapons from reaching Hamas. The blockade has remained in place through conflicts including the present war, which began when Hamas-led militants rampaged through southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1200 people and taking 251 hostages by Israeli tallies. Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas has since killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in Hamas-run Gaza, and destroyed most of the homes of its 2.3 million residents. In March Israel imposed a total blockade of all supplies reaching Gaza, which the United Nations says has driven the population to the brink of famine. Over the past two weeks Israel has allowed in limited food supplies to be distributed by a new Israeli-backed group, a step Israel says is necessary to prevent Hamas from diverting aid. Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg has been deported from Israel, the nation's foreign ministry says, the day after the Israeli navy prevented her and a group of fellow pro-Palestinian activists from sailing to Gaza. Thunberg, 22, was put on a flight to France on Tuesday, the ministry said, adding that she would travel on to Sweden from there. Three other people who had been aboard the charity vessel also agreed to immediate repatriation. Eight other crew members are contesting their deportation order, said a statement from Israeli rights group Adalah that advised them. They will be held in a detention centre ahead of a court hearing. It was not immediately clear when that would happen. Israeli forces boarded the charity vessel as it neared Gaza early on Monday, trying to break through Israel's longstanding naval blockade, which has gained international attention since Israel also cut off land access to the strip in March. Israel now allows in only limited supplies of food distributed by a group it backs. The British-flagged yacht was taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod and the 12-strong crew were transferred overnight to Ben Gurion airport. The activists had been carrying a small cargo of humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formula, and said they wanted to raise international awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has been devastated by months of war. Israel dismissed the voyage as a pro-Hamas publicity stunt. "The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the 'celebrities' will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels," the Foreign Ministry said. Israel released an image of Thunberg sitting on a plane ahead of its departure for Paris. She usually refuses to fly because of the carbon emissions of the airline industry. Organisers released a video of Thunberg on Monday, filmed on board the vessel before it was captured, in which she said that if it were taken that would mean Israel had kidnapped her and the rest of the crew in international waters. US President Donald Trump mocked this: "I think Israel has enough problems without kidnapping Greta Thunberg," he said. "She's a young, angry person ... I think she has to go to an anger management class." Israel has imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. Israel says it aims to stop weapons from reaching Hamas. The blockade has remained in place through conflicts including the present war, which began when Hamas-led militants rampaged through southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1200 people and taking 251 hostages by Israeli tallies. Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas has since killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in Hamas-run Gaza, and destroyed most of the homes of its 2.3 million residents. In March Israel imposed a total blockade of all supplies reaching Gaza, which the United Nations says has driven the population to the brink of famine. Over the past two weeks Israel has allowed in limited food supplies to be distributed by a new Israeli-backed group, a step Israel says is necessary to prevent Hamas from diverting aid. Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg has been deported from Israel, the nation's foreign ministry says, the day after the Israeli navy prevented her and a group of fellow pro-Palestinian activists from sailing to Gaza. Thunberg, 22, was put on a flight to France on Tuesday, the ministry said, adding that she would travel on to Sweden from there. Three other people who had been aboard the charity vessel also agreed to immediate repatriation. Eight other crew members are contesting their deportation order, said a statement from Israeli rights group Adalah that advised them. They will be held in a detention centre ahead of a court hearing. It was not immediately clear when that would happen. Israeli forces boarded the charity vessel as it neared Gaza early on Monday, trying to break through Israel's longstanding naval blockade, which has gained international attention since Israel also cut off land access to the strip in March. Israel now allows in only limited supplies of food distributed by a group it backs. The British-flagged yacht was taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod and the 12-strong crew were transferred overnight to Ben Gurion airport. The activists had been carrying a small cargo of humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formula, and said they wanted to raise international awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has been devastated by months of war. Israel dismissed the voyage as a pro-Hamas publicity stunt. "The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the 'celebrities' will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels," the Foreign Ministry said. Israel released an image of Thunberg sitting on a plane ahead of its departure for Paris. She usually refuses to fly because of the carbon emissions of the airline industry. Organisers released a video of Thunberg on Monday, filmed on board the vessel before it was captured, in which she said that if it were taken that would mean Israel had kidnapped her and the rest of the crew in international waters. US President Donald Trump mocked this: "I think Israel has enough problems without kidnapping Greta Thunberg," he said. "She's a young, angry person ... I think she has to go to an anger management class." Israel has imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. Israel says it aims to stop weapons from reaching Hamas. The blockade has remained in place through conflicts including the present war, which began when Hamas-led militants rampaged through southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1200 people and taking 251 hostages by Israeli tallies. Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas has since killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in Hamas-run Gaza, and destroyed most of the homes of its 2.3 million residents. In March Israel imposed a total blockade of all supplies reaching Gaza, which the United Nations says has driven the population to the brink of famine. Over the past two weeks Israel has allowed in limited food supplies to be distributed by a new Israeli-backed group, a step Israel says is necessary to prevent Hamas from diverting aid.
The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Israel to deport activists after Gaza aid ship blocked
Greta Thunberg and other activists who attempted to deliver aid to Gaza by sea are set to be deported from Israel after their sailboat was intercepted by the military. The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced on X that the passengers of the sailboat have arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to leave Israel and return to their home countries. They were expected to leave the country "within the next few hours," the ministry said. "Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority, in accordance with Israeli law, to authorise their deportation," the ministry wrote. It added that consuls from the passengers' home countries met them at the airport. The Madleen, from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), set sail from Sicily one week ago carrying aid for Palestinians and hoping to add pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza. However, they were intercepted by Israeli forces early on Monday after an order from Defence Minister Israel Katz. The coalition said in a statement on Monday the Madleen was forcibly intercepted by the Israeli military in international waters, its crew detained and aid cargo seized. Israel's Foreign Ministry dismissed the mission as a "provocation" and referred to the Madleen as a "selfie yacht." Earlier, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on X the activists were "currently undergoing medical examinations to ensure they are in good health". It also published a photo of Thunberg after she disembarked. They were then to be offered the 'opportunity' to watch a video of the atrocities committed by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, before being returned to their home countries. In a statement earlier on Monday, the activists said the Madleen had "been attacked/forcibly intercepted by the Israeli military" in international waters. "The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo - including baby formula, food and medical supplies - confiscated," the FFC said in a statement. Organiser Huwaida Arraf said Israel had no legal authority to detain those aboard the ship. "These volunteers are not subject to Israeli jurisdiction and cannot be criminalised for delivering aid or challenging an illegal blockade - their detention is arbitrary, unlawful and must end immediately," Arraf said. "We are undeterred. We will sail again. We will not stop until the siege ends and Palestine is free," the FFC said. Progressive Israeli activists protested in Ashdod against the military's deployment, holding up signs calling for the government to "end the blockade, the hunger, the genocide". Meanwhile Israeli forces and allied local gunmen are accused of killing 14 people seeking food aid in the Gaza Strip. It was the latest in a series of shootings that have killed at least 127 people and wounded hundreds since the rollout of a new food distribution system last month, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Israel and the United States say the new system is designed to circumvent Hamas, but it has been rejected by the UN and major aid roughly 2 million Palestinians almost completely rely on international aid because nearly all food production capabilities have been destroyed. Greta Thunberg and other activists who attempted to deliver aid to Gaza by sea are set to be deported from Israel after their sailboat was intercepted by the military. The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced on X that the passengers of the sailboat have arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to leave Israel and return to their home countries. They were expected to leave the country "within the next few hours," the ministry said. "Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority, in accordance with Israeli law, to authorise their deportation," the ministry wrote. It added that consuls from the passengers' home countries met them at the airport. The Madleen, from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), set sail from Sicily one week ago carrying aid for Palestinians and hoping to add pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza. However, they were intercepted by Israeli forces early on Monday after an order from Defence Minister Israel Katz. The coalition said in a statement on Monday the Madleen was forcibly intercepted by the Israeli military in international waters, its crew detained and aid cargo seized. Israel's Foreign Ministry dismissed the mission as a "provocation" and referred to the Madleen as a "selfie yacht." Earlier, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on X the activists were "currently undergoing medical examinations to ensure they are in good health". It also published a photo of Thunberg after she disembarked. They were then to be offered the 'opportunity' to watch a video of the atrocities committed by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, before being returned to their home countries. In a statement earlier on Monday, the activists said the Madleen had "been attacked/forcibly intercepted by the Israeli military" in international waters. "The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo - including baby formula, food and medical supplies - confiscated," the FFC said in a statement. Organiser Huwaida Arraf said Israel had no legal authority to detain those aboard the ship. "These volunteers are not subject to Israeli jurisdiction and cannot be criminalised for delivering aid or challenging an illegal blockade - their detention is arbitrary, unlawful and must end immediately," Arraf said. "We are undeterred. We will sail again. We will not stop until the siege ends and Palestine is free," the FFC said. Progressive Israeli activists protested in Ashdod against the military's deployment, holding up signs calling for the government to "end the blockade, the hunger, the genocide". Meanwhile Israeli forces and allied local gunmen are accused of killing 14 people seeking food aid in the Gaza Strip. It was the latest in a series of shootings that have killed at least 127 people and wounded hundreds since the rollout of a new food distribution system last month, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Israel and the United States say the new system is designed to circumvent Hamas, but it has been rejected by the UN and major aid roughly 2 million Palestinians almost completely rely on international aid because nearly all food production capabilities have been destroyed. Greta Thunberg and other activists who attempted to deliver aid to Gaza by sea are set to be deported from Israel after their sailboat was intercepted by the military. The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced on X that the passengers of the sailboat have arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to leave Israel and return to their home countries. They were expected to leave the country "within the next few hours," the ministry said. "Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority, in accordance with Israeli law, to authorise their deportation," the ministry wrote. It added that consuls from the passengers' home countries met them at the airport. The Madleen, from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), set sail from Sicily one week ago carrying aid for Palestinians and hoping to add pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza. However, they were intercepted by Israeli forces early on Monday after an order from Defence Minister Israel Katz. The coalition said in a statement on Monday the Madleen was forcibly intercepted by the Israeli military in international waters, its crew detained and aid cargo seized. Israel's Foreign Ministry dismissed the mission as a "provocation" and referred to the Madleen as a "selfie yacht." Earlier, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on X the activists were "currently undergoing medical examinations to ensure they are in good health". It also published a photo of Thunberg after she disembarked. They were then to be offered the 'opportunity' to watch a video of the atrocities committed by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, before being returned to their home countries. In a statement earlier on Monday, the activists said the Madleen had "been attacked/forcibly intercepted by the Israeli military" in international waters. "The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo - including baby formula, food and medical supplies - confiscated," the FFC said in a statement. Organiser Huwaida Arraf said Israel had no legal authority to detain those aboard the ship. "These volunteers are not subject to Israeli jurisdiction and cannot be criminalised for delivering aid or challenging an illegal blockade - their detention is arbitrary, unlawful and must end immediately," Arraf said. "We are undeterred. We will sail again. We will not stop until the siege ends and Palestine is free," the FFC said. Progressive Israeli activists protested in Ashdod against the military's deployment, holding up signs calling for the government to "end the blockade, the hunger, the genocide". Meanwhile Israeli forces and allied local gunmen are accused of killing 14 people seeking food aid in the Gaza Strip. It was the latest in a series of shootings that have killed at least 127 people and wounded hundreds since the rollout of a new food distribution system last month, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Israel and the United States say the new system is designed to circumvent Hamas, but it has been rejected by the UN and major aid roughly 2 million Palestinians almost completely rely on international aid because nearly all food production capabilities have been destroyed. Greta Thunberg and other activists who attempted to deliver aid to Gaza by sea are set to be deported from Israel after their sailboat was intercepted by the military. The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced on X that the passengers of the sailboat have arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to leave Israel and return to their home countries. They were expected to leave the country "within the next few hours," the ministry said. "Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority, in accordance with Israeli law, to authorise their deportation," the ministry wrote. It added that consuls from the passengers' home countries met them at the airport. The Madleen, from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), set sail from Sicily one week ago carrying aid for Palestinians and hoping to add pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza. However, they were intercepted by Israeli forces early on Monday after an order from Defence Minister Israel Katz. The coalition said in a statement on Monday the Madleen was forcibly intercepted by the Israeli military in international waters, its crew detained and aid cargo seized. Israel's Foreign Ministry dismissed the mission as a "provocation" and referred to the Madleen as a "selfie yacht." Earlier, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on X the activists were "currently undergoing medical examinations to ensure they are in good health". It also published a photo of Thunberg after she disembarked. They were then to be offered the 'opportunity' to watch a video of the atrocities committed by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, before being returned to their home countries. In a statement earlier on Monday, the activists said the Madleen had "been attacked/forcibly intercepted by the Israeli military" in international waters. "The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo - including baby formula, food and medical supplies - confiscated," the FFC said in a statement. Organiser Huwaida Arraf said Israel had no legal authority to detain those aboard the ship. "These volunteers are not subject to Israeli jurisdiction and cannot be criminalised for delivering aid or challenging an illegal blockade - their detention is arbitrary, unlawful and must end immediately," Arraf said. "We are undeterred. We will sail again. We will not stop until the siege ends and Palestine is free," the FFC said. Progressive Israeli activists protested in Ashdod against the military's deployment, holding up signs calling for the government to "end the blockade, the hunger, the genocide". Meanwhile Israeli forces and allied local gunmen are accused of killing 14 people seeking food aid in the Gaza Strip. It was the latest in a series of shootings that have killed at least 127 people and wounded hundreds since the rollout of a new food distribution system last month, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Israel and the United States say the new system is designed to circumvent Hamas, but it has been rejected by the UN and major aid roughly 2 million Palestinians almost completely rely on international aid because nearly all food production capabilities have been destroyed.
The Age
a day ago
- The Age
Israel orders Greta Thunberg be shown October 7 video while in detention
US President Donald Trump dismissed the statement: 'I think Israel has enough problems without kidnapping Greta Thunberg,' he said. 'She's a young, angry person ... I think she has to go to an anger management class.' He made a similar remark about the then 16-year-old activist in 2019. Israel has dismissed the aid ship as a stunt, with its Foreign Ministry labelling the boat 'the selfie yacht'. Officials said the flotilla carried what amounted to less than a truckload of aid. 'This wasn't humanitarian aid. It's Instagram activism,' Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said. Israel said the aid on board would be sent to Gaza through established channels, and circulated footage of what appeared to be Israeli military personnel offering sandwiches and water to the activists, who were wearing life vests. It also published a photo of Thunberg on social media after she disembarked. After an 11-week total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing some basic aid into Gaza last month, but humanitarian workers and experts say it is not enough and have warned of famine unless the blockade is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive. The United Nations said on Monday that it has only been able to bring minimal flour into Gaza and most aid has been looted by armed gangs or taken by starving Palestinians. Loading Palestinians also said Israeli forces and local gunmen working near the soldiers had fired on Monday towards a crowd heading to a new Israeli-backed aid distribution centre in the Gaza Strip, with Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry and local hospitals saying 14 people were killed. Dozens of people have died in shootings over the past two weeks while attempting to get aid from new centres run by a controversial new aid group backed by the US and Israel, called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The United Nations and other aid groups have refused to work with the group, citing humanitarian concerns. Thunberg and the other activists were expected to be held at a detention facility in the city of Ramle before being deported, according to Adalah, a legal rights group representing them, which said that Israel had no legal authority to take over the ship and it breached international law. An attempt by Freedom Flotilla last month 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, organisers said. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the ship's front section. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was among the volunteers on board the latest boat to be intercepted. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies towards the Palestinians. She was among six French citizens aboard. French President Emmanuel Macron asked Israel to allow them to return to France as soon as possible, his office said in a statement. Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said the crew and passengers were aware of the risks and that her ministry has advised against travel to Gaza for a decade and people who disregard that have a clear personal responsibility, Swedish news agency TT reported. Stenergard said the ministry's assessment was that no one on board was in danger and there was no need for consular support. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of a blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's Palestinian population. Israel sealed off Gaza 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 about 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages. Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas still holds 55 hostages, more than half are believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants but has said that women and children make up most of the dead. Loading The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced about 90 per cent of the population, leaving people almost completely dependent on international aid. Efforts to broker another truce have been deadlocked for months. Hamas says it will only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. Israel has vowed to continue the war until all the captives are returned and Hamas is defeated, or disarmed and exiled.
