Israeli navy attacked and captured the second Gaza-bound aid ship named Freedom which aimed to break the illegal 12-year siege on the Strip yesterday morning.
Israel intercepts, hijacks the second boat of Freedom Flotilla, the Swedish-flagged Freedom, miles away off Gaza coast as it attempted to break the Israeli-imposed siege.#GreatReturnMarch pic.twitter.com/01Dq5lZtXz
— AbdelKarim Alkahlout #Gaza (@KareemN96) August 4, 2018
Ynet News reported the Israeli army saying in a statement:
“The ship was monitored and was intercepted in accordance with international law.”
These are some of our friends on board #FREEDOM sailing with the #FreedomFlotilla to #Gaza.
We will hold Israel responsible for any harm that comes to them. pic.twitter.com/4yHpQTSfIS— BrightonFreedomFlotilla (@BtnFFlotilla) August 4, 2018
The statement added:
“The Israeli navy clarified to the ship’s passengers that they are violating the legal naval blockade and that any humanitarian merchandise can be transferred to Gaza through the Port of Ashdod.”
Israel severs int'l communication with 'Freedom' to begin an unwitnessed attack on the ship's crew #FreedomFlotilla https://t.co/Lvry78jHZe
— Sarah Wilkinson (@swilkinsonbc) August 3, 2018
The ship was carrying ten international activists and, according to the Israeli media, after it was commandeered it was taken to the Israeli occupation’s Port of Ashdod.
On its website, the Freedom Flotilla said: “We lost contact with the yacht Freedom, sailing under a Swedish flag, which is on a mission to break the illegal Israeli blockade of the Palestinian people of Gaza.”
“We have reason to presume that the Israeli occupation forces have now begun to attack it and that it has been surrounded in international waters. The latest reported position was approximately 40 nautical miles from the coast of Gaza.”
#Gaza Freedom flotilla Al Awda pirated in international waters by #Israeli navy who slammed Captain Herman’s head against the wall again & again while threatening to take him to the ship belly & finish him off-a fist in the face of Arne, the old mechanichttps://t.co/qEKXzNEFuj
— Saif Bitar (@BitarSaif) August 3, 2018
Al-Awda, the other vessel in the Freedom Flotilla, was violently boarded by Israeli occupation forces in international water on Sunday and all the activists and aid on board were sieges. Many of the activists have since been deported.
“Based on what happened on Sunday, we anticipate that the Israeli occupation forces have now cut all communications with Freedom, so it can begin an undocumented attack.”
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
