The “Hanfala” ship, part of the Freedom Flotilla advocating for Palestinian rights, arrived in Israel on Sunday after being intercepted by the Israeli military, as reported by a correspondent from a news agency from the Ashdod port.
The vessel was en route to challenge the Israeli naval blockade on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the region before being intercepted and its crew, including two members of the opposition party “France Unbowed,” were detained by Israeli forces.
The legal center for Arab minority rights in Israel, “Adalah,” stated that it dispatched lawyers to the port in southern Israel, seeking to communicate with the activists aboard the ship.
Israeli forces boarded the “Hanfala” vessel, which was sailing towards Gaza, on Saturday.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry asserted that Israeli soldiers prevented the ship carrying pro-Palestinian activists from illegally entering the maritime zone off the coast of Gaza.
The ministry released a statement on a social media platform, declaring, “The Israeli navy halted the ship from entering the Gaza coastal area unlawfully.”
Additionally, it stated, “The ship is safely en route to Israel’s shores, all passengers are safe, and unauthorized attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous and illegal and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts.”
According to the “Freedom Flotilla Coalition,” the “Hanfala” ship departed from Italy to “break the illegal and inhumane blockade on Palestinians in Gaza” and was “violently intercepted by the Israeli army in international waters” approximately 40 nautical miles (74 kilometers) from the Gaza Strip at 20:43 GMT.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition expressed in a statement that it “lost all contact with our ship,” which was reported to be carrying 21 civilians on board.
The coalition added, “The unarmed vessel was carrying lifesaving supplies when Israeli forces boarded it, kidnapped its passengers, and confiscated its cargo.” It further asserted, “The interception occurred in international waters, outside of Palestinian territorial waters off Gaza, in violation of international maritime law.”