Tensions have escalated in the eastern Mediterranean after Israeli naval forces intercepted the Handala, a ship organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which was attempting to deliver food aid to the Gaza Strip. The vessel was reportedly stopped in international waters, prompting outrage from the group and drawing renewed attention to the blockade surrounding Gaza.
The Handala, carrying 19 pro-Palestinian activists and two international journalists from countries including Australia, France, the UK, and the US, was part of a symbolic and humanitarian effort to challenge the blockade and deliver relief to civilians in Gaza, where humanitarian conditions have deteriorated sharply.
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Video footage circulated by the coalition appeared to show heavily armed Israeli soldiers boarding the vessel as passengers raised their hands in surrender. The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed that the navy had intercepted the boat to prevent what it described as an “unauthorised and unlawful attempt” to breach the maritime security zone off Gaza’s coast.
In a statement on social media platform X, the ministry said the ship was now “safely making its way to the shores of Israel” and that all those on board were unharmed. “Unauthorised attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts,” the ministry added.
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The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, however, condemned the Israeli action, accusing the navy of “kidnapping” those aboard. The group has long challenged the legality and morality of Israel’s maritime blockade, which it says contributes to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The latest confrontation is likely to intensify global scrutiny of Israel’s blockade policy and its enforcement actions at sea, particularly at a time when aid access to Gaza is a growing concern for international rights groups and governments.
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