Tel Aviv [Israel], July 27 (ANI/TPS) Israeli naval forces intercepted the vessel Handala late Saturday night as it attempted to breach the maritime blockade on Gaza, towing it to the port of Ashdod and detaining the 21 people aboard. According to a statement from the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the ship registered as Navarn was stopped "from illegally entering the maritime zone off the coast of Gaza" and all passengers were "safe."
The Handala, organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, had departed from Syracuse, Italy, on July 13, aiming to deliver humanitarian aid and symbolically challenge Israel's blockade on Gaza. The group said the vessel was carrying 19 activists and two journalists from Al Jazeera, representing 12 countries. Among the passengers were two French parliamentarians, Emma Fourreau and Gabrielle Cathala of the far-left France Unbowed party.
Named after a cartoon character representing Palestinian refugees, the Handala drew attention as the latest in a series of flotilla attempts to defy Israel's naval blockade.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition accused Israel of intercepting the ship in international waters, an allegation Jerusalem rejected.
"Unauthorized attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts," Israel's Foreign Ministry said, insisting that the blockade complies with international law due to the ongoing conflict with Hamas. It cited previous attacks launched from Gaza, including the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre, as justification for maintaining the blockade.
An online tracking tool placed the Handala about 100 kilometers west of Gaza and 50 kilometers from Egypt when intercepted. Prior to the operation, activists said they had noticed Israeli drones overhead and decided to alter course southward along the Egyptian coast. "At this time, the Handala does not intend to enter Egyptian waters but plans to sail parallel to the coastline," the coalition said. "Should the threat from Israeli authorities escalate, the crew will attempt to contact the Egyptian Coast Guard."
As the Israeli Navy approached, communication with the ship was lost.
French politician Jean-Luc Melenchon condemned the seizure, calling it a "kidnapping" and demanding the French government respond. "Netanyahu's thugs boarded Handala. They attack 21 unarmed people in territorial waters where they have no right," he wrote on X.
Huwaida Arraf, one of the activists, had warned the group would initiate a hunger strike if intercepted. "We are not interested in receiving any food or water [from Israel...] and certainly not in the ways that they use it for propaganda, while at the same time they are starving to death Palestinian children," she posted prior to the operation.
The passengers were unharmed and are expected to be deported. Israel says the limited aid aboard will be routed through official overland crossings into Gaza.
The Handala follows earlier flotilla attempts, including the Madleen, which carried climate activist Greta Thunberg, and the Mizfon, which sustained damage in May near Malta. Activists blamed Israel for an aerial attack on the Mizfon, though Jerusalem offered no comment.
Israel and Egypt have maintained restrictions on Gaza leading up today's blockade to prevent weapons smuggling since Hamas seized control of the Strip in 2007. Since then, Palestinian activists have periodically sent flotillas trying to breach the blockade. In 2011, an independent UN inquiry into the Mavi Marmara affair of 2010 criticised Israeli forces for using excessive force but upheld the blockade's legality.
At least 1,180 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 55 remaining hostages, 33 are believed to be dead. (ANI/TPS)
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