Israeli troops seize Gaza-bound activist boat

Israel seized a boat with the pro-Palestinian activist group Freedom Flotilla that was sailing towards Gaza on Saturday.

“The Israeli navy has stopped the vessel Navarn from illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza,” the Israeli foreign ministry posted on X.

“The vessel is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. All passengers are safe.”

The activists’ own broadcast showed them sitting on deck, holding their hands up and whistling the Italian anti-fascist song “Bella Ciao”, as the soldiers took control of the vessel.

Three video live feeds of the scene, which had been broadcast online, were cut minutes later.

The ship had been on course to try to break an Israeli naval blockade of Gaza and bring a small quantity of humanitarian aid to the territory’s Palestinian residents.

In a message on social media, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition declared: “‘Handala’ has been intercepted and boarded illegally by Israeli forces whilst in international waters,” using an alternative name for the boat.

Israel had earlier vowed to enforce its blockade of Gaza, and its statement Saturday said “unauthorized attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts.”

An online tracking tool set up to plot the Handala’s course showed the boat’s position as roughly 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the Egyptian coast and 100 kilometres west of Gaza when intercepted.

The Handala was carrying 19 activists, including European politicians, and two Al Jazeera journalists, who were able to broadcast from the vessel until shortly before its interception.

Two French lawmakers were among those detained, Emma Fourreau and Gabrielle Cathala. Their party leader, Jean-Luc Melenchon of France Unbowed (LFI), condemned Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Netanyahu’s thugs boarded Handala. They attack 21 unarmed people in territorial waters where they have no right. A kidnapping in which two French parliamentarians are victims,” he posted on X.

Melenchon demanded the French government take action.

Gaza is facing severe shortages of food and other essentials, with the United Nations and NGOs warning of an imminent famine.

The Handala’s crew said in a post on X that they would go on a hunger strike if the Israeli army intercepted the boat and detained its passengers.

The last boat sent by Freedom Flotilla, the Madleen, was intercepted by the Israeli army in international waters on June 9 and towed to the Israeli port of Ashdod.

It carried 12 campaigners on board, including prominent Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. The activists were eventually expelled by Israel.

Israel air drops humanitarian aid packages into Gaza

Israel said Saturday that it air dropped aid into the Gaza Strip and would open humanitarian corridors, as it faced growing international condemnation over the deepening hunger crisis in the Palestinian territory.

Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza on March 2 after ceasefire talks broke down. In late May, it began allowing a small trickle of aid to resume.

Before Israel announced the delivery of seven aid packages, the United Arab Emirates had said it would restart aid drops and Britain said it would work with partners including Jordan to assist them.

The decision to loosen the flow of aid came as the Palestinian civil defence agency said over 50 more Palestinians had been killed in Israeli strikes and shootings, some as they waited near aid distribution centres.

The same day, Israeli troops boarded a boat carrying activists from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition as it attempted to approach Gaza from the sea and deliver a small quantity of supplies to the aid-starved population.

The humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory has gravely deteriorated in recent days, with international NGOs warning of soaring malnutrition among children.