Israel has boarded Gaza-bound aid ship carrying Greta Thunberg, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition says
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) has said the Israeli military has boarded its Gaza-bound aid ship carrying Greta Thunberg and that communication with the boat has been lost.
The group posted a photo on Telegram early Monday local time, showing members of the crew of the 'Madleen' sitting inside the boat wearing lifejackets and with their hands in the air. No Israel Defense Force soldiers can be seen in the image.
In an earlier post, the FFC said the ship had come 'under assault in international waters.'
'Quadcopters are surrounding the ship, spraying it with a white paint-like substance. Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio,' FFC said on its Telegram channel.
Israel has repeatedly vowed to stop the aid boat from reaching Gaza.
'I have instructed the IDF to ensure that the 'Madleen' flotilla does not reach Gaza,' Israeli defense minister Israel Katz said on Sunday.
'Just a short while ago, two Israeli drones were above the FFC Madleen and dropped or sprayed some sort of white chemical on the Madleen. Now the Madleen seems to be surrounded by Israeli naval commandos,' Huwaida Arraf, Freedom Flotilla organizer and steering committee member and US human rights lawyer, told CNN.
In a video livestreamed from the boat and posted by the FFC, activist Yasmin Acar showed a white substance on the deck, saying it had been dropped on the vessel. Acar was later heard saying it was affecting her eyes. Before the live stream ended, Acar could be heard saying the Israeli military was communicating with the board
Israel vowed on Sunday to stop the aid boat carrying Thunberg and other activists on board from reaching Gaza.
The 'Madleen' is part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an organization that has campaigned against Israel's blockade of Gaza and tried to break the siege by boat.
Climate activist Thunberg, 'Game of Thrones' actor Liam Cunningham and Rima Hassan – a French member of the European Parliament - are among those on the Madleen.
'We know that it's a very risky mission and we know that previous experiences with flotillas like this have resulted in attacks, violence and even cases of death,' Thunberg told CNN on Saturday.
Israel's Foreign Ministry posted video on X showing a Navy staffer issuing what appears to be a radio message to the vessel.
'The maritime zone off the coast of Gaza is closed to maritime traffic,' the unidentified Navy staff member is heard saying. She is later heard saying aid needs to be delivered through 'established channels.'
In a statement, the ministry said 'unauthorized attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts.'
'We call on all actors to act responsibly and to channel humanitarian aid through legitimate, coordinated mechanisms, not through provocation,' the ministry added in a statement on Monday local time.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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