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Israel intercepts aid flotilla but one ship reported to have got through blockade
My colleagues Lorenzo Tondo and Sam Jones report on the latest on the flotilla here:
Israel has said it has stopped a pro-Palestinian flotilla carrying aid from reaching Gaza, after its navy intercepted most of the vessels.
However, one boat, the Mikeno, was reported to have escaped the maritime blockade and to have stopped inside Palestinian territorial waters near Gaza’s coast before contact with the vessel was lost.
It was the first time since Israel imposed a naval blockade on Gaza’s waters in 2009 that an unauthorised humanitarian mission has reached closer than 70 nautical miles from the territory.
The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed that ‘‘one last boat of the provocation remains in the distance.’’
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Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has accused Israel of ‘brutality’ in boarding Gaza aid flotilla that said it was sailing to help Palestinians suffering under the offensive in Gaza, reports AFP.
“This attack by the Israeli government against civilians sailing in international waters has once again shown the madness of its genocidal leaders trying hide their crimes against humanity in Gaza” and reveals “once again Israel’s brutality”, Erdogan said in a speech to his AKP party.
In recent days the Erdoğan has praised US president Donald Trump’s “efforts and leadership” to end the war in Gaza, after the US leader secured Israeli prime ,inister Benjamin Netanyahu’s support for a US-sponsored deal.
Israel claims no flotilla vessels have breached is maritime blockade with 39 out of 45 ships intercepted
Israel claims that none of the flotilla vessels have breached its maritime blockade, adding it will deport pro-Palestinian activists on board the boats intercepted at sea, AFP reports.
The Global Sumud Flotilla of about 45 vessels began its voyage last month, but many of the boats have been intercepted by the Israeli navy since last night (1 October). “None of the Hamas-Sumud provocation yachts has succeeded in its attempt to enter an active combat zone or breach the lawful naval blockade,” Israel’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
According to Greece’s foreign minister George Gerapetritis, all passengers are in good health and “no violence” was used on the activists on board. He added, 39 of the around 45 ships have been intercepted and were headed to the Israeli port city of Ashdod.
Italian prime minister criticises flotilla, says it will not help Palestinians
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni criticised an aid flotilla intercepted off Gaza by the Israeli military, saying the activists’ mission and a strike called in their support in Italy would do nothing to help Palestinians.
Israeli forces have boarded dozens of ships carrying hundreds of activists, including about 40 Italians, as they attempted to breach a maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Italian unions called a general strike for Friday in solidarity with the flotilla, while protests sprang up in a number of cities after news spread late on Wednesday that the ships were being halted.
However, Meloni took a critical stance toward the aid boats. Speaking to reporters at a European Union meeting in Denmark, Meloni said: “Obviously, we will do everything we can to ensure these people can return to Italy as soon as possible. I continue to believe that all this brings no benefit to the Palestinian people.”
Speaking about the proposed general strike, she said: “I would have expected that at least on such an important issue they would not have called a general strike on a Friday, because a long weekend and revolution don’t go together.”
Ruhi Loren Akhtar, one of the British aid workers on board the Global Sumud Flotilla, has said that the boat she is on decided to revert back to Cyprus as some participants on the vessel were “at increased risk” and the team did not want them to be detained.
In a video posted to her Instagram account, she addressed her followers by saying: “Instead of being able to deliver the humanitarian aid and open the humanitarian corridor, [other vessels] were intercepted by the Israeli Occupation Forces. We have lost communication with hundreds of our colleagues and we can only assume that they are in detention.”
She said that they believe there are still other boats sailing, with one thought to be “very close” to Gaza; “we don’t know what is happening exactly to them but there are still other vessels sailing.”
Akhtar, who is the founder of UK-based charity Refugee Biryani and Bananas, has been on board the flotilla for a month.
She explained: “We decided to revert our journey back to Cyprus, the reason being we have some participants on our vessels who are at increased risk and we didn’t want them to be detained. And also so that we could be outside to be able to advocate for our colleagues and comrades with the land teams to request a safe passage for those sailing and release those in detention.”
Protests have erupted in Europe following Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, filled with activists who were attempting to deliver aid to Gaza.
Demonstrations have taken place in Italy and Colombia, while protests were also called in Greece, Ireland and Turkey. Italian unions called a general strike for Friday.
Here are some of the latest protest images coming to us through the wires.
Jakub Krupa
At least three Polish citizens were believed to be involved in the Gaza flotilla intercepted by Israel last night, including a lawmaker from the ruling Civic Coalition party, Franek Sterczewski.
Earlier in the day, Sterczewski said the flotilla had been on high alert amid reports of a possible interception, “waiting to see how events unfold.”
After the reports of the interception, the Global Movement to Gaza Poland account on X published a pre-recorded video of Sterczewski.
“If you’re seeing this video, it means I’ve been abducted by the Israeli occupying forces on international waters during the peaceful humanitarian mission of the Global Sumud Flotilla,” he said.
“A heartfelt request: stand up for me and my companions with the Polish authorities. Prime minister, minister of foreign affairs – from the bottom of my heart and as plainly as I can say it, I ask you: do everything to ensure that all members of the flotilla from the Polish delegation return home safely. Long live a free Palestine, long live a free Poland. All eyes on Gaza.”
Two other Polish citizens reported to be participating in the flotilla are Nina Ptak, vice-president of the Nomada Association, and Omar Faris, chair of the Social and Cultural Association of Polish Palestinians.
Ewa Jasiewicz, a London-born British-Polish activist and journalist, is also believed to be involved.
A spokesperson for the Polish ministry of foreign affairs said this morning all Polish citizens were “safe and unharmed,” and the Polish consul was in Ashdod to offer help.
Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk told reporters in Copenhagen that the consular services will “treat MP Sterczewski like any other citizen.”
He said: “The Polish state exists to take care of every Polish citizen in difficult, critical situations – not because he is a member of parliament, not because he decided to take part in this maritime demonstration against Israel as that was Mr. Sterczewski’s decision, and it is not my role to judge his motivations, but to provide consular support, just as we would for any other citizen in such a situation.”
But in a hint of criticism, he added:“But once again, I warn all Polish citizens – and members of parliament, in particular, should be especially cautious: if our Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues an appeal not to travel to critical areas, because it can lead to consequences and because evacuation is expensive, then I urge everyone to heed those warnings.”
Poland’s foreign minister Radosław Sikorski also indicated his frustration, saying: “The Polish ministry of foreign affairs repeatedly urged people not to travel to certain parts of the world. There are countries like Iran, Belarus, and Russia that simply take citizens of western countries as hostages. And I will say this bluntly to those who would like to ignore our recommendations: I have no hostages to exchange. You’re going at your own risk.”
Sikorski also floated the idea of a draft bill that would allow the state to recover the costs of consular interventions in such circumstances.
An Israeli navy ship has arrived at Israel’s Ashdod port after intercepting boats carrying aid to Gaza and detaining activists aboard, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg.
This comes after Israel’s foreign ministry confirmed that all detained flotilla passengers are “making their way safely and peacefully to Israel”, where their deportation process back to Europe will begin.
Only four vessels believed to be still sailing
Only four vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla are believed to be still sailing, according to the live tracker. The Independent reports that Israeli forces have intercepted 39 boats carrying activists and aid to Gaza – and only one boat is still headed to the Strip.
Of the four vessels that are listed as “sailing”, two are under legal support and are heading north, toward Cyprus. One vessel is still off the coast of Egypt, and one vessel, Mikeno, is now in Gaza’s territorial waters and is reportedly a few miles from land.
This comes as Palestine’s foreign ministry has condemned Israel’s “attack and aggression”, and said it is “gravely concerned” about the safety of the activists on board.
“The State of Palestine recalls that the Global Sumud Flotilla is a peaceful and civilian-led initiative aimed at breaking Israel’s inhumane and illegal blockade of the Gaza Strip and put an end to Israel’s starvation policy and genocide, in accordance with international law,” the ministry said.
The British government is “very concerned” about Israel’s interception of the Gaza-bound aid flotilla, as the Foreign Office confirms British citizens are known to be on board.
“We are very concerned about the situation with the Sumud flotilla, we are in touch with the families of a number of British nationals involved,” the Foreign Office says.
“The aid carried by the flotilla should be turned over to humanitarian organisations on the ground to be delivered safely into Gaza.”
A number of the boats in the flotilla were intercepted by Israeli naval forces, with some vessels still believed to be headed towards Gaza’s territorial waters.
In a statement, the flotilla organisers branded the interceptions as “illegal” since they were traversing international waters. “Beyond the confirmed interceptions, live streams and communications with several other vessels have been lost,” the statement added.
The detained activists who were on board the Global Sumud Flotilla, including Greta Thunberg, are expected to arrive at Israel’s Ashdod port in about two hours – according to Al Jazeera.
The outlet understands that while this timeframe is an estimate, it is expected to be staggered across the whole day as not all the detained activists will be arriving at once.
Overnight, from late on 1 October to the early hours of 2 October, Israeli forces stopped at least a dozen boats carrying foreign activists and aid bound for Gaza. Thunberg was seen earlier sitting on a deck surrounded by soldiers in a video from the Israeli foreign ministry verified by Reuters. The Swedish activist is the most prominent of the pro-Palestinian flotilla’s passengers, while others include Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Mandla Mandela.
Earlier today Israel’s foreign ministry confirmed that all detained flotilla passengers are “making their way safely and peacefully to Israel”, where their deportation process back to Europe will begin.
As these activists are being taken to Israel, the naval forces continues to try to intercept the rest of the boats of the flotilla. There is now no communication with the remaining boats as the closer they get to Israeli ships, the more likely it is their communication methods would have been intercepted or jammed.
In a statement, the flotilla organisers branded the interceptions as “illegal” since they were traversing international waters. “Beyond the confirmed interceptions, live streams and communications with several other vessels have been lost,” the statement added.
Nine Irish citizens, including Sinn Féin senator, among those detained by Israeli forces
Lisa O’Carroll
Nine Irish citizens, including Sinn Féin senator Chris Andrews, were among those detained by Israeli forces. It is believed there are 20 Irish citizens on the flotilla in total.
Irish deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister Simon Harris convene a meeting of senior officials this morning to discuss the evolving situation.
In a statement the department for foreign affairs said: “The overriding concern remains the welfare of those on board, including Irish citizens. Our latest understanding is that passengers will be transferred to an Israeli port for processing and that Ireland’s embassy on the ground will liaise with local authorities and provide consular assistance.”
Last night Harris said “This is a peaceful mission to shine a light on a horrific humanitarian catastrophe. Ireland expects international law to be upheld and all those on board the flotilla to be treated in strict accordance with it.”
Demonstrators gather in cities across the world in support of Global Sumud Flotilla, rallying in solidarity with the fleet attempting to breach the maritime blockade of Gaza.
The pro-Palestinian flotilla consists of more than 40 civilian boats and is attempting to bring symbolic humanitarian aid to the war-torn territory.
Sam Jones
Spain’s labour minister and deputy prime minister, Yolanda Díaz, described the attack on the flotilla as “a crime against international law” and demanded that Israel immediately release those it had detained.
Writing on Bluesky, she added: “The EU needs to break off relations with Israel right now.”
Spain’s foreign ministry issued a statement late on Wednesday night, pointing out that the flotilla was a “a peaceful and humanitarian civil society initiative” and calling for the “physical integrity and rights” of the Spanish citizens aboard the flotilla to be respected. The statement concluded: “Spain will continue to demand an end to the war in Gaza, the massive entry of humanitarian aid, the release of all Israeli hostages, and the implementation of the two-state solution: Palestine and Israel, living side by side in peace and security.”
