Israeli forces seized the pro-Palestinian activist boat Handala in international waters and brought it to the port of Ashdod on Sunday. Israel intercepted the vessel late Saturday while attempting to breach an Israeli naval blockade of Gaza, with the crew, consisting of 21 international activists, remains detained.
Campaigners from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition aimed to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, as Israeli authorities confirmed they stopped the boat to prevent its entry into Gaza’s coastal waters. Despite the interception, the vessel was safely navigated to Israel, and all passengers are reported safe.
Legal Efforts and Israel Reaction
The legal rights center Adalah informed AFP that its lawyers arrived in Ashdod and requested to speak with the detained crew, that includes two French parliamentarians and two Al Jazeera journalists. “After 12 hours at sea, following the unlawful interception of the Handala, Israeli authorities confirmed the vessel’s arrival at Ashdod port,” stated Adalah, which advocates for the rights of Israel’s Arab population.
Despite repeated requests, Israeli authorities denied Adalah’s lawyers access to the detained activists for legal consultation. Adalah emphasized that the activists aboard the Handala participated in a peaceful civilian mission to challenge Israel’s blockade on Gaza. They argued that the interception in international waters constitutes a clear violation of international law.
Earlier, the Israeli foreign ministry revealed that the navy stopped the Handala to prevent it from entering Gaza’s coastal waters, confirming that, “The vessel is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. All passengers are safe.”
Live video streamed from the Handala showed Israeli troops boarding the vessel, with online trackers indicating that the ship was in international waters west of Gaza. The Handala aimed to deliver a small quantity of humanitarian aid to Palestinian residents in the territory.
Crew Threatens Hunger Strike Amid Detention
Before their capture, the Handala’s crew announced on X that they would initiate a hunger strike if the Israeli army intercepted the boat and detained its passengers. The crew included activists from ten countries, featuring two French MPs from the left-wing France Unbowed party, Emma Fourreau and Gabrielle Cathala, in addition to American, European, and Arab activists were among those detained.
This incident follows a previous interception of another Freedom Flotilla boat, the Madleen, by the Israeli military on 9 June. The Madleen, which carried 12 campaigners, including prominent Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, was also towed to Ashdod, then ultimately, Israeli authorities expelled the activists.
