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JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli forces stopped a Gaza-bound assistance vessel carrying Greta Thunberg and different activists aboriginal Monday and diverted it to Israel, enforcing a longstanding blockade of the Palestinian territory that has been tightened during the warfare with Hamas.
“The ‘selfie yacht’ of the ‘celebrities’ is safely making its mode to the shores of Israel,” the Foreign Ministry said successful a societal media post. “The passengers are expected to instrumentality to their location countries.”
It said the humanitarian assistance aboard the vessel would beryllium transferred to Gaza done established channels. It aboriginal circulated footage of what appeared to beryllium Israeli subject unit handing retired sandwiches and h2o to the activists, who were wearing orangish beingness vests.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which had organized the voyage to present humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip and protestation Israel’s blockade and wartime conduct, said the activists had been “kidnapped by Israeli forces” and released pre-recorded messages from them.
Thunberg, a clime campaigner, was among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which acceptable sail from Sicily a week ago. Along the way, it had stopped connected Thursday to rescue 4 migrants who had jumped overboard to debar being detained by the Libyan seashore guard.
Rima Hassan, a French subordinate of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was besides among the volunteers connected board. She has been barred from entering Israel due to the fact that of her absorption to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians.
After a 2½-month full blockade aimed astatine pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing immoderate basal assistance into Gaza past month, but humanitarian workers person warned of famine unless the blockade is lifted and Israel ends its subject offensive.
An effort past period by Freedom Flotilla to scope Gaza by oversea failed aft different of the group’s vessels was attacked by 2 drones portion sailing successful planetary waters disconnected Malta. The radical blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the beforehand conception of the ship.
Israel and Egypt person imposed varying degrees of blockade connected Gaza since Hamas seized powerfulness from rival Palestinian forces successful 2007. Critics of the blockade accidental it amounts to corporate punishment of Gaza’s astir 2 cardinal Palestinians.
Israel sealed Gaza disconnected from each assistance successful the aboriginal days of the warfare ignited by the Hamas-led onslaught connected confederate Israel connected Oct. 7, 2023, but aboriginal relented nether U.S. pressure. In aboriginal March, soon earlier Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the state again blocked each imports, including food, substance and medicine.
Hamas-led militants killed astir 1,200 people, mostly civilians, successful the Oct. 7 onslaught and abducted 251 hostages, much than fractional of whom person since been released successful ceasefire agreements oregon different deals. Hamas is inactive holding 55 hostages, much than fractional of them believed to beryllium dead.
Israel’s subject run has killed much than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which has said women and children marque up astir of the dead. It doesn’t accidental whether those killed are civilians oregon combatants.
The warfare has destroyed immense areas of Gaza and displaced astir 90% of the territory’s population, leaving radical determination astir wholly babelike connected planetary aid.
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Follow AP’s warfare sum astatine https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
