Israel Intercepted Another Freedom Flotilla Coalition Bound For Gaza And Abducted 145 Activists On Board
This move came just days after Israel intercepted all the Flotilla boats and detained more than 400 activists.
Israel attacked and intercepted more boats on another Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) bound for Gaza and abducted about 145 activists on board.
FFC is a coalition of international pro-Palestine activists and organizations, established in 2010, aiming to challenge and break Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007 by delivering humanitarian aid directly to Gaza via sea.
The new flotilla mission, named “Thousand Madleens to Gaza,” was sailing towards Gaza with about 145 activists from 30 countries, including doctors, nurses and journalists, and more than US$110,000 worth of humanitarian aid, including medical supplies and respiratory equipment.
It consisted of nine boats: Conscience, which was attacked earlier in May in Malta before it could sail to Gaza, Abd Elkarim Eid, Alaa Al-Najar, Anas Al-Sharif, Gaza Sunbird, Leïla Khaled, Milad, Soul of My Soul and Um Saad.
On Wednesday, Oct. 8, Israel intercepted all nine boats in international waters, abducted the activists and confiscated the aid.
The move comes just days after Israeli forces intercepted all the boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla, kidnapping and detaining more than 400 activists and confiscating the aid and medicine meant for Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel has since deported about 170 activists back to their countries.
Many of the activists said that Israeli forces treated them violently, strip-searching them, depriving them of water for at least 24 hours and even beating some of them.
Cherry Mohamed
Kassy Cho
Ikran Dahir
