WORLD NEWS
CAIRO (Egypt): The Israeli forces attacked the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was carrying aid to Gaza, and arrested around 200 people, including Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg and former Pakistani senator Mushtaq Ahmed.
According to a spokesperson for the flotilla, the Israeli forces have detained over 200 individuals from 37 countries. They include 30 from Spain, 22 from Italy, 21 from Turkey, and 12 from Malaysia.
The spokesperson stated that despite the arrests, the group’s mission continues. Ships are still en route through the Mediterranean Sea, attempting to break the blockade of Gaza. “We have around 30 ships that are still trying to reach the shores of Gaza while avoiding the military vessels of the occupying forces,” they said.
Earlier, the live footage from one of the flotilla’s ships, Alma, showed members of the flotilla waiting for intervention. Human rights activists on board Alma were seen wearing life jackets.
Israeli forces have stopped 13 boats carrying foreign activists and aid bound for Gaza, but 30 boats are continuing to sail towards the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave, flotilla organisers said on Thursday.
Israeli forces boarded boats and took them to an Israeli port on Wednesday, disrupting a protest that had become one of the most high-profile symbols of opposition to Israel’s blockade of the enclave.
A video from the Israeli foreign ministry verified by Reuters showed the most prominent of the flotilla’s passengers, Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, sitting on a deck surrounded by soldiers.
“Several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port,” the Israeli foreign ministry said on X. “Greta and her friends are safe and healthy.”
The Global Sumud Flotilla, which was carrying medicine and food to Gaza, consisted of more than 40 civilian boats carrying about 500 parliamentarians, lawyers and activists.
The flotilla put out several videos on Telegram with messages from individuals aboard the various boats, some holding their passports and claiming they were abducted and taken to Israel against their will, and reiterating that their mission was a non-violent humanitarian cause.
Its progress across the Mediterranean Sea had garnered international attention as nations including Turkey, Spain and Italy sent boats or drones in case their nationals required assistance.
