Israel intercepts in international waters the Flotilla that was heading towards Gaza

BarcelonaIsrael has intercepted some of the humanitarian aid boats that are part of the Sumud Flotilla heading to Gaza. This was reported by Israeli radio citing military sources and confirmed by the Global Sumud Flotilla. Speedboats identified as the Israeli army have made their boats stop. According to their accounts, they pointed lasers and semi-automatic assault weapons at the crew members from military boats and frigates, and ordered them to position themselves at the front of the vessels, kneeling with their hands up. For now, it is unknown if any arrests have been made. Contact has been lost with 11 boats out of the 58 that make up the civilian humanitarian mission.

"We saw lights, many drones, and we lost contact with several boats," Pau Pérez, a crew member of the Venus, one of the Flotilla's boats, explains to l'ARA. According to his account, the boats leading the fleet were intercepted and shots were heard, although they have not yet been able to confirm if they were warning shots or aimed at someone, which has created a climate of confusion. Pérez details that they are in international waters near Crete, meaning outside of Israel's jurisdiction, 1,100 kilometers from Palestine. Previous missions had been intercepted much closer to the coast of Gaza. The boats that have not been intercepted continue their course towards Crete, to enter Greek waters.

The Israeli navy radio-threatened the vessels, when they were at more: "If you continue trying to breach the maritime blockade, we will stop your vessel and act to confiscate it and subject it to legal proceedings before the courts. You assume responsibility for your actions".

The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from Barcelona bound for Gaza on April 15 with 39 vessels, in addition to theArtic Sunrise, from Greenpeace and theOpen Arms, which will sail alongside the civilian fleet, with the aim of delivering humanitarian aid and reinforcing civilian presence in the Mediterranean. From there they went to Sicily, where other vessels from the ports of Augusta, Catania, Siracusa, and Rome were added. In Greece and Turkey, more vessels were to be added to reach about a hundred ships, in the largest maritime convoy of the 38 that have been made in the last two decades to break the siege of Gaza, which violates international law.

All of this, the organization assures, takes place in a context in which Italian political opinion on the conflict in Gaza is changing due to "public pressure, parliamentary participation, and recent movements from Rome".