Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday ordered the navy to dam a charity vessel carrying activists, together with Swedish local weather campaigner Greta Thunberg, from breaching Israel’s naval blockade to achieve Gaza.
Operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), the British-flagged Madleen yacht set sail from Sicily on June 6 and is at present off the Egyptian coast, heading slowly towards the Gaza Strip, which is besieged by Israel.
“I instructed the IDF to act so that the Madleen … does not reach Gaza,” Katz mentioned in an announcement.
“To the antisemitic Greta and her Hamas-propaganda-spouting friends, I say clearly: You’d better turn back, because you will not reach Gaza.”
Climate activist Thunberg mentioned she joined the Madleen crew to “challenge Israel’s illegal siege and escalating war crimes” in Gaza and spotlight the pressing want for humanitarian support. She has rejected earlier Israeli accusations of antisemitism.
The battle was triggered by the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led incursion that brought about round 1,200 deaths and captured 251 hostages, in line with Israeli tallies.
Israel’s genocidal battle, as compared, has devastated Gaza, displacing almost all its residents and killing greater than 54,700 individuals, largely ladies and youngsters, in line with Gaza well being authorities.
The battle has destroyed huge areas of Gaza and displaced round 90% of its inhabitants. The territory’s roughly 2 million Palestinians are virtually fully reliant on worldwide support as a result of almost all of Gaza’s meals manufacturing capabilities have been destroyed.
Katz mentioned the blockade was important to Israel’s nationwide safety because it seeks to eradicate Hamas.
“The State of Israel will not allow anyone to break the naval blockade on Gaza, whose primary purpose is to prevent the transfer of weapons to Hamas,” he mentioned.
The Madleen is carrying a symbolic amount of support, together with rice and child system, the FFC has mentioned.
FFC press officer Hay Sha Wiya mentioned Sunday that the boat was at present some 160 nautical miles (296 kilometers) from Gaza. “We are preparing for the possibility of interception,” she mentioned.
Besides Thunberg, there are 11 different crew members aboard, together with Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament.
Israeli media have reported that the navy plans to intercept the yacht earlier than it reaches Gaza and escort it to the Israeli port of Ashdod. The crew would then be deported.
In 2010, Israeli commandos killed 10 individuals once they boarded a Turkish ship, the Mavi Marmara, that was main a small flotilla towards Gaza.
Source: www.dailysabah.com