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A help boat to Gaza carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists arrived in an Israeli port Monday after the Israeli forces arrested them and held them – applying a long -standing blockade from the Palestinian territory which was tightened during the War of Israel -Hamas.
The boat, accompanied by the Israeli Navy, arrived in Ashdod in the evening, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel. He published a photo on Thunberg’s social networks after landing.
The 12 activists suffered medical checks to make sure they are healthy, the ministry said. They expected that they were detained in a detention center in Ramle before being expelled, according to Adalah, a group for the defense of legal rights representing them.
Activists had undertaken to protest against the current military campaign in Israel in the Gaza Strip, which is among the deadliest and most destructive since the Second World War, and its restrictions at the entrance to humanitarian aid, both of which put the territory of some two million Palestinians in danger of famine.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which had organized the trip, said that activists had been “kidnapped by Israeli forces” while trying to provide desperately necessary help.
“The ship was illegally embedded, its unarmed civilian crew removed, and its vital cargo – including the baby formula, food and medical supplies – confiscated,” he said in a statement.
He said the ship had been seized in international waters about 200 kilometers from Gaza. Adalah said that Israel had “no legal authority” to take it.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel launched the trip as a blow of public relations, saying in an article on X that “the” Yacht Selfie “of” celebrities “safely headed on the banks of Israel”.
He said passengers would return to their country of origin and that the aid would be delivered to Gaza through established channels.
He then circulated images of what seemed to be an Israeli military personnel saying sandwiches and water to activists, who wore orange life vests.
“ Serious violation of international law ”
Thunberg, a climate activist, was one of the 12 activists aboard the Madleen, who had Sicily navigate a week ago. Along the way, he stopped Thursday to save four migrants who had jumped over board to avoid being detained by the Libyan coastal guard.
“I urge all my friends, my family and my comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to free myself, me and the others, as soon as possible,” said Thunberg in a pre-recorded message published after the ship stop.
Adalah, the rights for the defense of rights, said in a statement that “the arrest of non -armed activists, which operated civilianly to provide humanitarian aid, is equivalent to a serious violation of international law”.
Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian origin, was also one of the volunteers on board. It was forbidden to enter Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies to the Palestinians.
She was one of the six French citizens aboard the boat. French president Emmanuel Macron called for consular protection and repatriation of French citizens.
“Above all, France calls a ceasefire as quickly as possible and the lifting of the humanitarian blockade. It is an unacceptable scandal, which is played in Gaza. What has been going on since early March is a shame, a shame,” said Macron.
Next week, Macron Co-Organist A conference at the UN on a solution to two states and recently declared that France should improve towards the recognition of a Palestinian state.
The Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer, Sternergard, said that the crew and passengers were aware of the risks, reported the Swedish news agency TT.
Look | Aid Ship towards Gaza attacked in May:
A ship carrying humanitarian aid and activists for Gaza were bombed by drones in international waters off Malta early on Friday, said its organizers, alleging that Israel was to blame.
Stenergard said that the ministry’s assessment is that no one on board is in danger and that there is no need for consular support.
Asked about Thunberg at the White House, US President Donald Trump said: “I think she has to go during anger management. This is my main recommendation for her.”
Trump described the climate activist as a “young and angry person”, but added: “I don’t know if it’s a real anger”.
The attempted aid delivery failed last month last month
Israeli officials said that the cargo of the flotilla was “skinny” with what was equivalent to a help truck.
After a total blockage of two and a half months aimed at putting pressure on Hamas, Israel began to allow basic aid to Gaza last month. But the humanitarian workers and the experts warned against famine unless the blockade is lifted and that Israel ends its military offensive.
An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza by sea failed after another of the group’s ships was attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attackwho damaged the front section of the ship.
Israel and Egypt have imposed various degrees of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized the power of rival Palestinian forces in 2007.
Israel says that the blockade is necessary to prevent Hamas from importing weapons, while criticisms say that this is equivalent to collective sanctions from the Palestinian population of Gaza.
Israel sealed Gaza with all help in the first days of the war fired by the attack led by Hamas against southern Israel on October 7, 2023, but then gave in American pressure. At the beginning of March, shortly before Israel ends a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medication.
Activists led by Hamas killed around 1,200 people, mainly civilians, during the October 7 attack and removed 251 hostages, more than half of which have since been released in cease-fire agreements or other agreements. Hamas still holds 55 hostages, more than half of them believed dead.
The military campaign of Israel killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, which said that women and children make up most of the dead. This does not say if those who are killed are civilians or fighters.
The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and moved around 90% of the population of the territory, leaving people who depend almost completely on international aid.
Efforts to negotiate another truce have been deadlocked for months. Hamas says that it will only publish the remaining hostages in exchange for a sustainable ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has sworn to continue the war until all the captives are returned and that Hamas is defeated or disarmed and exiled.
