Gaza Freedom Flotilla, which has been attempting to deliver much-needed aid to war-ravaged Gaza, on Wednesday (Oct 8) revealed that its vessels were under attack at the hands of the Israeli military. The organisation said that several of its boats were intercepted by Israel while sailing towards the Gaza Strip. It also alleged that Tel Aviv's military was jamming signals and had even boarded two of its boats in the latest attempt to intercept aid. Meanwhile, Israel labelled the aid vessel as "another futile attempt to breach its naval blockade" and said that all the passengers were "safe and in good health". This comes just days after famed Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and other activists who were detained in a similar interception revealed that they were mistreated while in Israeli detention.
Israel says aid-carrying activists will be deported soon
In a post on X, the Israeli Foreign Ministry insisted that the detained activists were "safe and in good health" and said that “another futile attempt” to breach its “legal naval blockade” and enter the combat zone has “ended in nothing”. It added that “the passengers are expected to be deported promptly”.
Meanwhile, on X, Global Sumud Flotilla said that three of its vessels—Gaza Sunbirds, Alaa Al-Najjar, and Anas Al-Sharif were “attacked and illegally intercepted by the Israeli military at 04:34 am, 220 kilometres (around 140 miles) off the coast of Gaza”. The aid organisers added that another vessel, ‘Conscience’, with over 90 people onboard, was “under attack”.
Activists ‘safe’ or treated ‘like animals’?
Previously, Thunberg, who, along with over 100 other volunteers, was detained, had alleged harsh treatment at the hands of the IDF. Talking to a Swedish official who visited the activist in prison, Greta Thunberg said she was beaten, denied basic needs, and kept in a bedbug-infested cell. Talking to Reuters, Malaysian national Hazwani Helmi and American citizen Windfield Beaver said that the detained activists were treated "like animals". They also said that Thunberg was "shoved and forced to wear an Israeli flag". Another volunteer, Paolo Romano, an Italian regional councillor, told AFP that detainees were “forced to kneel, face down” and beaten if they moved. “They laughed, insulted, and beat us using both psychological and physical violence,” he said.
