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ISRAELI FORCES HAVE intercepted another humanitarian aid ship carrying pro-Palestinian activists in international waters, in what campaigners have called an “unlawful” and “violent” act against civilians attempting to deliver relief to Gaza.
The Handala, a refurbished fishing boat operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was stopped last night around 100km off the coast of Gaza and 50km from Egypt.
The vessel was carrying aid supplies including baby formula, nappies, food, and medicine, intended for civilians in the besieged territory.
In a statement on X, Israel’s foreign ministry said its navy had prevented the Handala, registered as Navaren, from “illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza”.
It said the vessel was “safely making its way to the shores of Israel” and that “all passengers are safe”.
“Unauthorised attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts,” the statement added.
Video footage from the Handala showed passengers with their hands raised in surrender and singing the anti-fascist anthem Bella Ciao as Israeli soldiers boarded.
The Handala has just been illegally intercepted by the Zionist entity of Israel while carrying baby formula to starving children pic.twitter.com/2awEkXXLwp
— Thiago Ávila | Gaza Freedom Flotilla (@thiagoavilabr) July 26, 2025
The livestream was cut shortly afterward, and the FFC later said that communication systems and cameras on board had been disabled.
“The unarmed boat was carrying life-saving supplies when it was boarded by Israeli forces, its passengers abducted, and its cargo seized,” the FFC said.
The group claims the vessel was intercepted in international waters at 11.43pm local time.
Among the 21 people aboard were human rights campaigners, two Al Jazeera journalists, and elected representatives from France’s national and European parliaments.
One of the coalition’s steering committee members, Ann Wright, said in a statement that the ship’s seizure “is not a matter of internal Israeli jurisdiction.”
“These are foreign nationals operating under international law in international waters. Their detention is arbitrary, unlawful, and must end,” Wright said.
The interception comes just over a month after another Freedom Flotilla vessel, the Madleen, was stopped en route to Gaza.
That ship carried 12 activists, including Greta Thunberg, and was also attempting to deliver aid in defiance of Israel’s naval blockade.
The blockade, enforced by Israel since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, has been widely criticised for exacerbating a humanitarian crisis.
Since 2 March, Israel has largely restricted the entry of aid into the territory, prompting warnings from the UN and humanitarian organisations of mass starvation and a looming famine.
The Handala’s mission was part of what the flotilla organisers called a “people’s humanitarian corridor”.
The group has called for the immediate release of those on board and for governments to intervene.
Today, Israel’s military announced the opening of humanitarian corridors and limited daily pauses in military operations to allow the delivery of aid.
Additional reporting from AFP
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