Israel will not allow Freedom Flotilla carrying Greta Thunberg and humanitarian aid to approach Gaza, Kan TV reported, citing Israeli security services, which have decided to block the ship carrying humanitarian aid and prevent it from reaching the besieged enclave.
Israeli authorities have announced their intention to prevent Freedom Flotilla, carrying humanitarian aid and activists including Greta Thunberg, from reaching Gaza, without specifying how they intend to do so.
Israeli army spokesman Brigadier General Efi Defrin stressed that the country was ready to prevent attempts to deliver aid by sea and had the necessary experience.
“We are ready for this occasion. We have gained experience in recent years,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the Jerusalem Post reported that Freedom Flotilla had sent a distress signal when the crew spotted a drone flying over the ship, but the distress signal turned out to be false, as the drone belonged to the Greek coast guard.
Freedom Flotilla left the Italian port of Catania and has travelled 381 nautical miles since then. Greta Thunberg and eleven other activists were on board. They were planning to deliver a “symbolic” shipment of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, where a severe humanitarian crisis has erupted.
In May, Israel partially lifted its blockade of Gaza, allowing limited operations under UN supervision, but the humanitarian situation remains extremely dire. Earlier, another aid ship was attacked by drones off the coast of Malta, and Red Cross distribution centres were forced to suspend operations after dozens of people were killed.
Earlier, British cultural figures, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Annie Lennox and Dua Lipa, called on the British Prime Minister to stop arms supplies to Israel and secure a ceasefire in Gaza.
