The Gaza flotilla said early this Thursday, October 2, continuing its trip to the Palestinian territory at war despite the interception on Wednesday night of several of its ships by the Israeli Navy.
Israel has stopped “several ships,” said Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, flotilla spokesman, Saif Abukeshek, informing 13 ships that have 200 people in total.
Among the passengers of the intercepted ships is Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, that Israeli authorities have shown that they recover personal effects, surrounded by armed men.
The Global Sumud Flotilla (“Resilience” in Arabic) denounced “an illegal attack against unarmed humanitarian workers” and called “world leaders, world leaders and international institutions to demand the security and release of all people on board.”
France calls “to guarantee the safety of the participants”
She assured in X at 0.20 GMT (10:20 pm French time) on Thursday that “30 ships continue their trip to Gaza, and are in 46 nautical miles (85 km) despite the incessant attacks” of the Israeli Navy.
“They are determined. They are motivated and do everything that is in their possession to break the early block this morning,” said Abukeshek.
The interception of Israeli forces is a “crime of piracy and maritime terrorism against civilians”, the Islamist organization Hamas on Wednesday night, in power in Gaza and whose attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 caused the conflict.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry accused Israel of committing “an act of terrorism” and Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, announced the expulsion of the Israeli diplomatic delegation in his country in reaction.
In France, the head of diplomacy Jean-Noël Barrot asked the Israeli authorities “to guarantee the safety of the participants.”
In Italy, several hundred protesters met in Rome and Naples on Wednesday night to protest against interception, transmitting the call of the main Italian unions to a general strike for Friday.
The Franco-Palestine Eurodiputa Rima Hassan, who had taken place aboard the flotilla, because his part accused Israel of having arrested “illegally” and “arbitrarily” from “hundreds” of people.
The European deputy began to testify in a live on Instagram after having attended the shipment of a nearby boat, before throwing his phone into the water when he approached him on the ship he was in.
Two Spanish and Italian ships in escort
Part of Spain in early September, Flotilla is presented as a “peaceful and non -violent mission of humanitarian aid.” Initially, he gathered around 45 ships and hundreds of prophencenium activists from more than 40 countries.
The flotilla says it wants to “break the blockade of Gaza” and provide “humanitarian aid to a besieged population confronted with famine and genocide.”
In addition to Greta Thunberg and Rima Hassan, it includes Nelson Mandela’s grandson and former African South Mandla Mandela deputy and the former mayor of Barcelona Ada Colau.
Italy and Spain had sent military ships to escort the flotilla after “drone attacks” on the night of September 23 to 24, denounced by the UN and the European Union, similar to two attacks attributed to Israel by the flotilla when it was anchored on September 9 near Túnex.
But on Wednesday, the Spanish government asked Global Sumud “not to enter the waters designated as an exclusion zone by Israel” and emphasized that the Spanish ship would not cross this limit.
The Italian frigate had stopped its escort at 150 nautical miles (275 km) of the territory.
In June and July, the Israeli Navy had already arrested two sailboats of humanitarian aid in the direction of Gaza, with Greta Thunberg and Rima Hassan on board. Both landed in Israel and then expelled.
Source: BFM TV
