Israel attacks vessels of Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla Coalition
The organisers say all aid vessels have been intercepted and most livestreams were disconnected.
Israeli forces attacked ships of the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) early Wednesday in international waters roughly 120 nautical miles (222 kilometers) from the enclave.
A press release by the Thousand Madleens to Gaza campaign said that in one hour, all nine boats were attacked by the Israeli army in international waters: Abd Elkarim Eid, Alaa Al-Najar, Anas Al-Sharif, Gaza Sunbird, Leïla Khaled, Milad, Soul of My Soul, Um Saad and Conscience.
The vessels and the activists are transferred to an Israeli port, Israel's Foreign Ministry said on X, adding that they “are expected to be deported promptly.”
Boats invaded, livestream cut
A livestream on the coalition’s YouTube channel showed several Israeli soldiers raiding the Gaza Sunbird.
“At roughly 120 nm away from Gaza, Israel has attacked our flotilla,” the coalition said later on the US social media company Instagram’s platform.
Livestreams were disconnected, and the coalition's official trackers were also jammed, according to organisers.
"The Israeli military has no legal jurisdiction over international waters. Our flotilla poses no harm," said the coalition on Instagram.
Ships carried $110,000 in medical aid
The ships carried aid worth more than $110,000 in medicines, respiratory equipment and nutritional supplies intended for Gaza's starving hospitals, it said.
Around 100 people are on board the nine-boat convoy, part of the FFC’s “Thousand Madleens” mission to challenge the illegal Israeli siege on Gaza.
The FFC, established in 2010, has launched dozens of missions aimed at delivering aid and drawing global attention to the humanitarian crisis in the Israel-besieged Gaza.
Long line of flotilla raids
The latest convoy set sail after Israeli naval forces attacked and seized more than 40 boats of the Global Sumud Flotilla sailing to Gaza last week to challenge the Israeli blockade and detained more than 450 activists on board.
Israel, as the occupying power, has previously attacked Gaza-bound ships, seized their cargo and deported the activists on board.
Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza, home to nearly 2.4 million people, for nearly 18 years and further tightened the siege in March, when it closed border crossings and blocked food and medicine deliveries, pushing the enclave into famine.
Since October 2023, Israeli bombardments have killed more than 67,100 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children, and rendered it uninhabitable.