Israel stops aid ship attempting to reach Gaza
A ship with aid supplies for Gaza carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists was stopped by Israel from reaching the Palestinian enclave. Israel had warned it wouldn't allow it to make it to the territory.
Israel's Foreign Ministry has said that the Madleen, a ship carrying humanitarian aid bound for the Gaza Strip, has been intercepted and is "safely making its way to the shores of Israel."
The passengers, who include Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, among others, are expected to return to their home countries, the ministry said on X.
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"While Greta and others attempted to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity — and which included less than a single truckload of aid — more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza from Israel within the past two weeks," the ministry said.
"The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the 'celebrities' will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels," the statement added.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the organisation that launched the Madleen, has accused Israeli authorities of "kidnapping" the people on board.
In a series of posts on Telegram, the group also said the ship had come "under assault in international waters" and that Israeli forces had sprayed the vessel with a "white irritant substance" before "illegally" boarding the ship.
"Quadcopters are surrounding the ship, spraying it with a white irritant substance," the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said on its Telegram channel.
"Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio."
The group then said the Israeli army had "boarded the vessel."
Israel's Foreign Ministry said the Israeli Navy was communicating with the aid ship, calling it the "selfie yacht."
"Using an international civilian communication system, the Israeli Navy has instructed the "selfie yacht" to change its course due to its approach toward a restricted area," the ministry said on X.
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