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

BarcelonaThe Global Sumud Fotilla has confirmed this morning that Israeli military ships have intercepted 19 of the 44 ships of the solidarity initiative attempting to open a humanitarian corridor in Gaza, while they were in international waters. Around seven o'clock on Tuesday evening, just as it was getting dark, the first boardings took place, on the largest boats. During 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 of the boats are now unknown. the status of 14 other ships that have lost communications after issuing an alert. What is known is that at this time, the Mikeno ship 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.

Reactions

Protests against the assault 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 a general strike for this Friday.

Israel has blocked the entry of people and goods into Gaza, with varying degrees of intensity, since Hamas won the 2006 elections. Since then, the population of Gaza has lived under a siege that includes a naval blockade. Several civil initiatives have attempted to break it since then, but this is the one that has generated the most international attention, in the context of the genocide and famine caused by Israel in the Strip. The flotilla is carrying a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid, and its mission is to demonstrate that if governments and international organizations have the will, 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 and when Israel comes to a complete standstill. This could also prolong the judicial process because the courts are closed and prison procedures are 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 be carried out. The Israeli government is also accusing the flotilla of having links to Hamas without evidence.