Israel assaults the flotilla: about twenty ships intercepted while one reaches Palestinian waters

BarcelonaThe Global Sumud Flotilla has confirmed this morning that Israeli military ships have intercepted 20 of the 44 ships of the solidarity initiative attempting to open a humanitarian corridor in Gaza, while they were in international waters. On Tuesday at around seven in the evening, just after dark, the first boardings took place, on the largest boats. In the attacks, 201 people from 37 countries (including 30 Spanish ones) were detained, with whom communication has been lost. But the remaining thirty boats were able to circumvent the blockade and continue advancing toward Gaza. Interceptions continued throughout the night, and the whereabouts are now unknown. the status of 14 other ships that have lost communications after issuing an alertWhat is known is that, at this time, the ship Mikenos has already managed to reach Palestinian waters, less than 12 nautical miles from Gaza.

The Israeli army has shown in a video the arrest of climate activist Greta Thunberg and assures that all captured crew members are safe and sound. The Flotilla organization has no evidence of anyone being harmed, but cannot confirm it either. Among the detained Catalan activists isFormer mayor of Barcelona Ada Colau, MP Pilar Castillejo and around twenty trade unionists, lawyers, activists, and journalists. Four of the vessels attacked were sailing under the Spanish flag.

Reactions

Protests against the attack took place around the world tonight, including in Barcelona, ​​Istanbul, Naples, and Buenos Aires. Colombian President Gustavo Petro expelled the Israeli diplomatic mission in the country and condemned "a new international crime by Netanyahu." Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim condemned the attack "on civilians transporting vital humanitarian aid to Gaza." In Italy, the main union has called for a general strike this Friday.

Israel has blocked the entry of people and goods into Gaza, to varying degrees, since Hamas won the 2006 elections. Since then, the population of Gaza has lived under a siege that includes a naval blockade. Several civilian initiatives have attempted to break it since then, but this one has generated the most international attention, in the context of the genocide and famine caused by Israel in the Strip. The Flotilla carries a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid and its mission is to demonstrate that, if governments and international organizations have the will to do so, they can establish a maritime corridor to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian population. For this reason, the boats that have not been boarded continue to move forward.

What will happen to the detained activists?

Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, has stated that the detained activists will be deported after the end of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, the most important holiday in the Jewish calendar, during which Israel comes to a complete standstill. This could also lengthen the judicial process (Israeli law allows for a 72-hour detention period, which can be shortened if the individual voluntarily agrees to deportation from the country), rendering the courts inoperable and prison proceedings halted. Some have already announced they will go on hunger strike. Furthermore, the procedures will vary in each case—non-Western crew members have received worse treatment on previous flotillas—and it remains to be seen whether the threat from the far-right Interior Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who said he would consider them "terrorists," will materialize. In fact, the Israeli government accuses the flotilla of having ties to Hamas without evidence.