The Israeli Navy on Wednesday evening began to intercept the Global Sumud Flotilla, which is attempting to break the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip, activists aboard the vessels claimed.
Footage posted to social media showed a Navy vessel near one of the boats. Al Jazeera reported that IDF troops had begun to arrest participants in the flotilla.
Later, the Foreign Ministry posted footage of environmental activist Greta Thunberg, who is taking part in this flotilla and was previously deported by Israel in June after taking part in another flotilla, the Madleen.
“Already several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port. Greta and her friends are safe and healthy,” it said.
So far, the takeover of the flotilla is proceeding without unusual incidents. Due to the size of the flotilla, approximately 50 vessels, the operation is expected to continue into the night and deep into Yom Kippur.
Earlier, the Israeli Navy issued a final call to the activists to change course.
“This is the Israeli Navy. You are approaching a blockaded zone,” a naval lieutenant told the participants over a radio, according to a video published by the Foreign Ministry.
“If you wish to deliver aid to Gaza, you may do so through the established channels. Please change your course toward the port of Ashdod, where the aid will undergo a security inspection and then be transferred into the Gaza Strip,” the lieutenant added.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said, “The sole purpose of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla is provocation. Israel, Italy, Greece, and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem have all offered and continue to offer the flotilla a way to peacefully deliver any aid they might have to Gaza. The flotilla refused because they are not interested in aid, but in provocation.”
“The Israeli Navy has reached out to the Hamas-Sumud flotilla and asked them to change course. Israel has informed the flotilla that it is approaching an active combat zone and violating a lawful naval blockade. Israel reiterated the offer to transfer any aid peacefully through safe channels to Gaza,” the statement clarified.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministries of Greece and Italy issued a joint statement calling on the Global Sumud Flotilla to accept the offer of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to safely deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, rather than attempting to breach Israel’s naval blockade.
“Greece and Italy are closely monitoring developments in the Global Sumud Flotilla and call on the Israeli authorities to ensure the safety and security of the participants and to allow for all consular protection measures,” the two foreign ministers stated.
They appealed to the participants of the flotilla “to accept the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem's offer to safely deliver aid intended in solidarity with the children, women, and men of Gaza.”
Early Wednesday morning, Global Sumud reported increased drone activity as it approached Gaza.
“We have now entered the high-risk zone, the area where previous flotillas have been attacked and/or intercepted,” the flotilla, named Global Sumud, announced via Telegram.
Last week, Israel’s Foreign Ministry warned the participants in the flotilla, to which it referred as the “Hamas Flotilla” that Israel will not allow any breaches of the naval blockade on Gaza.
“This flotilla, organized by Hamas, is intended to serve Hamas. Israel will not allow vessels to enter an active combat zone and will not allow the breach of a lawful naval blockade,” the statement clarified.
“If the flotilla participants’ genuine wish is to deliver humanitarian aid rather than serve Hamas, Israel calls on the vessels to dock at the Ashkelon Marina and unload the aid there, from where it will be transferred promptly in a coordinated manner to the Gaza Strip,” it added.
“Israel urges the participants not to break the law and to accept Israel's proposal for a peaceful transfer of any aid they might have,” the statement concluded.
On Tuesday, two official Hamas documents were made public, revealing that the terrorist organization is directly involved in funding and carrying out the Sumud flotilla to Gaza.
The documents indicate a close connection between the flotilla leadership and Hamas, particularly with the PCPA - a body operating on behalf of Hamas in the international arena.
Among those on the flotilla is environmental activist Greta Thunberg, who was previously deported by Israel in June after taking part in another flotilla, the Madleen, which was intercepted by the IDF.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Yom Kippur in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)