Israel stops activist ship trying to get aid to Gaza; Dutch captain on board
The Israeli army has stopped a ship with activists trying to get some aid into the Gaza Strip. The sailboat had Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and the Dutch captain Mark van Rennes, among others, on board.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the ship is on its way to the Israeli coast. The Ministry said that the passengers were unharmed and would likely return to their own country.
On Sunday evening, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the organization behind the ship, reported that Israeli soldiers had boarded. They distributed a photo on Telegram, showing the moment the crew was overpowered.
Earlier in the evening, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition reported that the ship, the Madleen, was being surrounded, and that drones were flying around he sailboat and spraying it with an unknown white liquid.
The Madleen departed from Sicily last Saturday with baby food, flour, rice, and medical supplies on board. This limited supply was mainly symbolic, said French-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan.
Greta Thunberg told NOS that the activists’ goal was to keep all eyes on Gaza.
Shortly after contact was lost with the Madleen, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition released videos of the activists on board saying that they had been abducted by Israel. “If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces or forces that support Israel,” Thunberg said in her video.
Dutch captain Van Rennes asked the Dutch government to "push for my release and that of all other peaceful activists."
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the activists were “celebrities” on a “selfie hunt,” among other things.
Israel blocked any aid supplies from entering the Gaza Strip for almost three months. The borders have been closed for months.
