Israel announced Tuesday that it will deport a group of activists, including Swedish climate advocate Greta Thunberg, detained on a yacht attempting to deliver aid to Gaza.
The vessel, named Madleen, was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters near Ashdod port on Monday and towed to the city.
The 12 passengers, now at Ben Gurion Airport, face deportation to their home countries, with Israel warning that refusal to comply will lead to judicial proceedings, according to a statement on X from the Israeli foreign ministry.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which organized the voyage, confirmed the activists are under Israeli custody and may be allowed to leave Tel Aviv as early as Tuesday evening.
The yacht, carrying symbolic aid like rice and baby formula, departed Catania, Italy, on June 1 to highlight Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and challenge Israel’s naval blockade. The FFC called the blockade illegal and condemned Israel’s actions as threats against civilians.
Among the activists are citizens from Brazil, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey, including French MEP Rima Hassan and Al Jazeera journalist Omar Faiad.
Israel dismissed the effort as a “selfie yacht” stunt for publicity, noting that over 1,200 aid trucks entered Gaza in the past two weeks, and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distributed nearly 11 million meals.
Israel defends its blockade as a measure to prevent weapons from reaching Hamas, a stance reiterated by Defense Minister Israel Katz, who vowed to counter any breach attempts.
The FFC referenced a 2010 incident where Israeli commandos killed 10 Turkish activists on the Mavi Marmara, another aid flotilla, as evidence of excessive force.
The interception comes 20 months after Israel’s military response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, which killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reports at least 54,880 deaths since the conflict began.
Israel recently permitted limited aid into Gaza via the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, though humanitarian groups criticize its effectiveness.
Source: BBC
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