Israel to deport Gaza flotilla activists

Israel said connected Thursday it volition deport pro-Palestinian activists connected an assistance flotilla intercepted astatine oversea arsenic they headed towards Gaza. They added that nary of the vessels had successfully breached its maritime blockade.

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The Global Sumud Flotilla of astir 45 vessels began its voyage past month, with politicians and activists including Swedish clime campaigner Greta Thunberg heading to Gaza, wherever the United Nations says famine has acceptable in.

The Israeli navy has intercepted vas aft vas astatine oversea since Wednesday, aft informing the activists against entering waters it says autumn nether its blockade, with Thunberg’s vessel among those stopped from going further.

“None of the Hamas-Sumud provocation yachts has succeeded successful its effort to participate an progressive combat portion oregon breach the lawful naval blockade,” Israel’s overseas ministry said successful a statement.

“One past vas of this provocation remains astatine a distance. If it approaches, its effort to participate an progressive combat portion and breach the blockade volition besides beryllium prevented.”

According to Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, 39 of the astir 45 ships person been intercepted and were headed to the Israeli larboard metropolis of Ashdod, according to authorities broadcaster ERT.

“All passengers are successful bully health. No unit has been exercised,” Gerapetritis said.

Israel said the activists would beryllium deported to Europe, without specifying which countries they would beryllium sent to.

“Hamas-Sumud passengers connected their yachts are making their mode safely and peacefully to Israel, wherever their deportation procedures to Europe volition begin,” the overseas ministry said connected X, posting photos of Thunberg and different activists aboard a boat.

In a statement, the flotilla organisers branded the interceptions arsenic “illegal”.

“Beyond the confirmed interceptions, livestreams and communications with respective different vessels person been lost,” they added.

‘Piracy’

Hamas, whose October 7, 2023 onslaught connected Israel sparked the warfare successful Gaza, condemned the interception of the flotilla arsenic a “crime of piracy and maritime terrorism”.

With the warfare successful Gaza dragging on, solidarity with the Palestinians has grown globally, with activists and progressively governments condemning Israel for its conduct.

Spain and Italy, which some sent naval escorts to support its citizens connected committee the flotilla, had urged the activists to halt earlier entering Israel’s declared exclusion portion disconnected Gaza, saying they would not beryllium allowed to walk that mark.

The boats, with dozens of activists from astir the satellite connected board, initially acceptable sail from respective European ports.

After a 10-day halt successful Tunisia, wherever organisers reported 2 drone attacks, the flotilla resumed its travel connected September 15.

One of the main ships, the Alma, was “aggressively circled by an Israeli warship”, the organisers said, earlier different vessel, the Sirius, was subjected to “similar harassing manoeuvres”.

‘Intimidation’

The organisers vowed to property connected with their bid to interruption the siege and present assistance to Gaza contempt what they called “intimidation” tactics by the Israeli military.

They said connected X they remained “vigilant arsenic we participate the country wherever the erstwhile flotillas were intercepted and/or attacked”.

In Italy, which has already seen a g...