The "Israeli" troops have captured a Swedish ship en route the Gaza Strip to break the Zionist entity's long-time blockade of the Palestinian sliver.
Contact was lost earlier with one of the vessels of the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla III as "Israeli" navy ships approached the convoy, the Freedom Flotilla Organization said.
The Swedish-registered "the Marianne of Gothenberg" was surrounded by "Israeli" gunboats while it was on the way to Gaza in an attempt to break the siege.
According to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition [FFC], their latest contact with the Marianne boat was when she was still in the international waters, about 105 nautical miles off the Gaza coast.
The group added that three sailing boats accompanying Marianne - Rachel, Vittorio, and Juliano II - have changed their course and are returning to their ports of departure.
"We demand that our respective governments act with humanity and to ensure the safety of all of the delegates on board the Marianne," the campaigners said on their website.
They further said: "We call once again on the government of Israel to finally lift the blockade on Gaza and let the peaceful ship, the Marianne, reach its destination in order to deliver its cargo of dignity and hope. We urge all international organizations to work towards opening the port of Gaza to let people and products travel freely to the world."
The vessels are said to be carrying small amounts of medical supplies and aid, including solar panels.
According to the "Israeli" army, its naval forces boarded and took over an activist vessel seeking to break the Gaza blockade, and were escorting it to an "Israeli" port early Monday.
"In accordance with international law, the "Israeli" Navy advised the vessel several times to change course," it said in a statement. "Following their refusal the Navy visited and searched the vessel in international waters in order to prevent their intended breach of the maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip."
The four ships carrying pro-Palestinian activists included Tunisia's former president Moncef Marzouki and at least one European lawmaker.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
29-06-2015 |
09:40
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