Greta Thunberg Gaza flotilla reaches port after being seized by Israel | EUROtoday

The boat carrying Greta Thunberg and different activists searching for to deliver symbolic assist to Gaza has arrived at an Israeli port, after its forces intercepted the flotilla.

Adalah, a authorized rights group representing the activists, mentioned at 10pm native time that they had obtained affirmation that the group have been being held at Ashdod port, simply south of Tel Aviv, and have been present process processing earlier than being handed over to Israeli immigration authorities.

Demanding entry to the passengers of the British-flagged yacht Mased – which had sought to interrupt the naval blockade on Gaza – Adalah mentioned: “Unless they agree to leave immediately, they will be transferred to the detention facility in Ramleh.

“While authorities have indicated that those who consent to deportation may be allowed to fly out from Tel Aviv tonight, it’s unclear what conditions – such as signing documents or waiving rights – may be imposed.”

Earlier, organisers of the “Freedom Flotilla”, mentioned there had been no contact with the 12 worldwide activists for almost 19 hours after the ship was intercepted by Israeli forces in worldwide waters at round 2am on Monday.

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Warning that the activists had been “forcibly abducted” whereas crusing peacefully beneath worldwide regulation, organiser Huwaida Arraf instructed Al Jazeera that Israel “has no authority” to keep up its blockade on Gaza, and criticised the UK authorities for failing to subject a powerful condemnation of the UK-flagged vessel’s seizure.

Downing Street on Monday afternoon urged Israel to behave “safely with restraint, in line with international humanitarian law”, and described the humanitarian scenario in Gaza as “appalling and intolerable”.

A humanitarian disaster is unfolding within the Gaza Strip, the place greater than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed within the Israeli navy marketing campaign launched after Hamas’s assaults on 7 October 2023 killed greater than 1,200 individuals in Israel, with 251 others taken hostage.

The flotilla, which is the newest in an extended line of activist makes an attempt to interrupt the blockade of Gaza, sought to boost worldwide consciousness of the disaster in Gaza and ship a small quantity of assist, together with rice and child method.

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During a earlier Freedom Flotilla in May 2010, 9 individuals have been killed after Israeli commandos opened fireplace on activists after boarding the flagship vessel 90 miles from Gaza. Just final month, two drones hit one other vessel destined for Gaza whereas it was off the coast of Malta.

In a video filmed earlier than the Mased was captured, launched by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, Ms Thunberg, 22, mentioned: “If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by Israeli occupational forces or forces that support Israel.

“I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible.”

However, talking outdoors the Swedish parliament on Monday, overseas minister Maria Malmer Stenergard mentioned she didn’t imagine Ms Thunberg was in want of assist from Stockholm, including: “A great responsibility rests on those who choose to travel contrary to the advice.”

Speaking as protestors gathered in Stockholm to demand motion, Ms Stenergard condemned a “dangerous” marketing campaign to flood her ministry with calls, including: “The consequence is that Swedes in need abroad have to wait in line for far too long.”

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But the Swedish overseas ministry mentioned it was involved with Israeli authorities, telling Reuters: “Should the need for consular support arise, the embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will assess how we can best help the Swedish citizen/Greta Thunberg resolve her situation.”

With Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz claiming he had instructed the navy to indicate “antisemitic Greta and her Hamas-supporting friends” footage of the 7 October assaults upon their arrival in Ashdod, Israel’s overseas ministry additionally sought to dismiss the flotilla as a stunt.

The ministry mentioned on social media: “The ‘Selfie Yacht’ docked at Ashdod Port a short while ago. The passengers are currently undergoing medical examinations to ensure they are in good health.”

“The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the ‘celebrities’ will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels,” the ministry mentioned, days after Israel’s controversial new “aid plan” descended into chaos, with stories of stampedes and weapons being fired at ravenous crowds.

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In a contemporary warning on Monday, the United Nations mentioned households in Gaza are “hanging on by a thread” with the help reaching the Strip remaining “critically insufficient”.

As properly as tightly controlling air and land deliveries into Gaza – allowing no provides to enter for 3 months earlier this 12 months – Israel has imposed a naval blockade on the Strip since Hamas took management in 2007, saying it goals to cease weapons from reaching the militant group.

The UN particular rapporteur on human rights within the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, who has supported the Freedom Flotilla operation, urged different boats to problem the Gaza blockade.

“Mased’s journey may have ended, but the mission isn’t over. Every Mediterranean port must send boats with aid [and] solidarity to Gaza,” she mentioned.