Israeli warships stopped a flotilla of 44 vessels heading to Gaza, located 112 km from the coast. On one of the boats was Swedish eco-activist Greta Thunberg, who for the second time failed to reach the Gaza Strip on a humanitarian mission. This is reported by the Global flotilla "Sumud", which was heading to Gaza, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, the "Freedom Flotilla", and the publication The Times of Israel, reports UNN.
Details
The operation of the Israeli navy, which took place on Yom Kippur, lasted all night until Saturday morning. By midnight, the military had boarded at least six of the 47 vessels of the Global Sumud flotilla and detained activists after jamming their signals.
Greta Thunberg was on one of the first ships boarded by the military.
According to the "Sumud" flotilla, some of their vessels were intercepted and seized, while the rest continued their journey to the Palestinian enclave. They published a video with Greta Thunberg and called the detention of activists illegal by Israel. The organization stressed that French Member of the European Parliament Emma Furo was also detained.
"Several vessels of the 'Sumud' flotilla have already been safely stopped, and their passengers transferred to an Israeli port. Greta and her friends are safe and sound," the Israeli Foreign Ministry said.
According to The Times of Israel, activists will be deported upon arrival in Israel.
Organizers said the flotilla, which departed from Spain a month ago, was carrying more than 500 people, some of whom Israel accuses of ties to Hamas.
The navy intercepted the flotilla after organizers rejected calls to deliver aid and vowed to continue moving toward Gaza
It is noted that the flotilla was 90 miles (over 140 km - ed.) from the Gaza Strip when it was intercepted. The no-go zone declared by Israel, in which the military intercepted vessels, extends for more than 240 km.