Israeli naval forces have intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a convoy of more than 40 civilian boats carrying around 500 participants, including parliamentarians, lawyers, activists, Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, and actor Susan Sarandon, as well as aid for Gaza.
A Mexican crew member on board the flotilla, Arlin Medrano, reported in a live broadcast that a dozen Israeli military vessels were approaching the convoy in international waters, calling the interception “totally illegal” and in violation of international law.
Medrano urged the Mexican government to ensure the safety of the two Mexican citizens on board in case of interception. She said the flotilla would continue its mission even if some vessels were stopped, aiming to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza for the first time since 2007.
Organisers said the interception occurred after Israeli warships blocked communications and moved to halt the convoy. No immediate details were available regarding possible detentions or the fate of the ships.
Earlier, activists reported seeing more than a dozen Israeli vessels ahead of them and said all flotilla ships had switched to “alarm mode.”
Live footage from the Alma vessel showed crew members wearing life jackets and seated in a circle as they prepared for a possible boarding.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed the flotilla was being directed toward the port of Ashdod, where aid can be unloaded and transferred to Gaza, and said Thunberg and other participants are safe.
The United Nations called for the safety and rights of those on board to be respected. Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said: “We do not want anyone to get hurt, and we want people’s rights to be respected. We want to make sure everyone is safe.”
The flotilla, carrying humanitarian and medical supplies, set sail at the end of August from Genoa and Barcelona, aiming to reach Gaza. Marine tracking data placed the vessels about 150 nautical miles (278 km) from Gaza, an area considered high-risk due to previous interceptions.
The mission comes amid warnings from humanitarian agencies about severe shortages of food, medicine, and aid in Gaza, where a blockade has been in place for nearly 18 years.
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Russia launched a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine’s energy system early on Saturday (7 January), hitting power generation and distribution facilities with more than 400 drones and around 40 missiles, Ukrainian officials have said.
U.S. has become a central outside power in the south caucasus, shaping diplomacy, security and energy flows. Its relations with Azerbaijan and Armenia have evolved from similar beginnings into two distinct partnerships that now define Washington’s role in the region.
Iran would retaliate by striking U.S. military bases across the Middle East if it comes under attack by American forces, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday (7 January), stressing that such action should not be seen as targeting the countries hosting those bases.
France and Canada opened new consulates in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, on Friday, stepping up their Arctic presence in a show of support for Denmark, a NATO ally, amid renewed demands by U.S. President Donald Trump to acquire the strategically located territory.
Winter weather has brought air travel in the German capital to a complete halt, stranding thousands of passengers as severe icing conditions make runways and aircraft unsafe for operation and force authorities to shut down one of Europe’s key transport hubs.
Storm Leonardo hit Spain and Portugal on Tuesday, forcing more than 11,000 people from their homes, as a man in Portugal died after his car was swept away by floodwaters and a second body was found in Malaga.
An attacker opened fire at the gates of a Shiite Muslim mosque in Islamabad on Friday before detonating a suicide bomb that killed at least 31 people in the deadliest assault of its kind in the capital in more than a decade.
Iran and the United States opened nuclear talks in Oman on Friday, with Tehran calling the meeting a good start and both sides agreeing to continue discussions after returning to their capitals for consultations.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 6th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
France and Canada opened new consulates in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, on Friday, stepping up their Arctic presence in a show of support for Denmark, a NATO ally, amid renewed demands by U.S. President Donald Trump to acquire the strategically located territory.
Russia launched a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine’s energy system early on Saturday (7 January), hitting power generation and distribution facilities with more than 400 drones and around 40 missiles, Ukrainian officials have said.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 7th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators have discussed an ambitious goal of reaching a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine by March, though the timeline is widely viewed as unrealistic due to deep disagreements over territory, according to multiple sources familiar with the talks.
At least 31 people have been killed and scores wounded in a suicide bombing at a mosque in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, during Friday prayers, prompting widespread international condemnation.
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