Israel orders military to block aid boat from reaching Gaza

RTÉ News​

6 hours ago

Israel's defence minister has ordered the Israeli military to block an aid boat headed for Gaza with 12 activists on board, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.
"I have instructed the military to prevent the Madleen flotilla from reaching Gaza," Israel Katz said in a statement from his office.
"To Greta the anti-Semite and her companions, Hamas propaganda mouthpieces, I say clearly: turn back because you will not reach Gaza," Mr Katz said.
The organisers of the Madleen's voyage said yesterday they had reached Egyptian waters and were nearing Gaza, where the war between Israel and Hamas has entered its 21st month.
A live tracker of the boat's location indicated its position off the Egyptian coast.
French MEP Rima Hassan, who is on board the Madleen, said the group has 24 hours left before they are "illegally detained by Israeli authorities" who want to prevent them from reaching Gaza.
"When we are no longer able to communicate with you, I'm counting on you to continue the mobilization that has been so valuable to us throughout this journey," Ms Hassan said in a post on X.
The Madleen, a sailing boat operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), left Italy on 1 June with the stated aim of delivering humanitarian aid and breaking the Israeli blockade on the Palestinian territory.
The launch of the Madleen was attended by a number of Irish people who showed their support for the mission, including activist Caoimhe Butterly, actor Liam Cunningham and Senator Lynn Ruane.
The coalition describes itself as a "grassroots people-to-people solidarity movement composed of campaigns and initiatives to end the blockade of Gaza".
It has been organising flotillas since 2010 with the aim of breaking the Israeli maritime blockade on Gaza.
The FFC has emphasised that all volunteers and crew on board the Madleen are trained in non-violence and are sailing "unarmed in a peaceful act of civil resistance against Israel's actions in Gaza".
Last month, another vessel operated by the group, the Conscience, caught fire before it was due to set sail for Gaza.
The ship had been en route to Malta to collect a large contingent of activists, including Greta Thunberg, when the incident occurred in the early hours of 2 May.
According to the FFC, the fire was caused by an Israeli-operated drone.
The Israeli defence minister said Israel will not allow anyone to break the naval blockade of Gaza, adding that it will "act against any attempt to break the blockade or support terror groups - by sea, air or land".