The activists were sitting on deck, holding their hands up and whistling the Italian anti-fascist song “Bella Ciao”, as the soldiers took control of the vessel [Valeria Ferraro/Anadolu via Getty Images]
Israeli troops boarded a boat which the pro-Palestinian activist group Freedom Flotilla had been sailing towards Gaza on Saturday, Israel said, a scene that was livestreamed by the group.
The activists’ own broadcast showed them sitting on deck, holding their hands up and whistling the Italian anti-fascist song “Bella Ciao”, as the soldiers took control of the vessel.
Three video live feeds of the scene, which had been broadcast online, were cut minutes later.
The ship had been on course to try to break an Israeli naval blockade of Gaza and bring a small quantity of humanitarian aid to the territory’s Palestinian residents.
In a message on social media, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition declared: “‘Handala’ has been intercepted and boarded illegally by Israeli forces whilst in international waters,” using an alternative name for the boat.
Israel had earlier vowed to enforce its blockade of Gaza, and its statement Saturday said “unauthorised attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts.”
“The Israeli navy has stopped the vessel Navarn from illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza,” the Israeli foreign ministry posted on X following the boarding.
“The vessel is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. All passengers are safe.”
An online tracking tool set up to plot the Handala’s course showed the boat’s position as roughly 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the Egyptian coast and 100 kilometres west of Gaza when intercepted.
The Handala was carrying 19 activists, including European politicians, and two Al Jazeera journalists, who were able to broadcast from the vessel until shortly before its interception.
Two French lawmakers were among those detained, Emma Fourreau and Gabrielle Cathala. Their party leader, Jean-Luc Melenchon of France Unbowed (LFI), condemned Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Netanyahu’s thugs boarded Handala. They attack 21 unarmed people in territorial waters where they have no right. A kidnapping in which two French parliamentarians are victims,” he posted on X.
Melenchon demanded the French government take action.
Gaza is facing severe shortages of food and other essentials, with the United Nations and NGOs warning of an imminent famine and health authorities reporting the deaths of Palestinians in Gaza from starvation.
The Handala’s crew said in a post on X that they would go on a hunger strike if the Israeli army intercepted the boat and detained its passengers.
The last boat sent by Freedom Flotilla, the Madleen, was intercepted by the Israeli army in international waters on 9 June and towed to the Israeli port of Ashdod.
It carried 12 campaigners on board, including prominent Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. The activists were eventually expelled by Israel.
