A ship carrying pro-Palestinian activists seeking to breach Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza has “come under attack” shortly after being approached by Israeli vessels, a spokeswoman said.
“The Estelle is now under attack – I have just had a message from them by phone,” Victoria Strand, a Stockholm-based spokeswoman for the Ship to Gaza Sweden campaign told the AFP news agency on Saturday.
According to Dror Feiler, another spokesperson, the Estelle, whose passengers include five parliamentarians from Europe and a former Canadian politician, was attacked at around 08:15 GMT.
“Five or six military vessels surrounded the Estelle. Soldiers wearing masks are now trying to board the ship. The attack took place on international water: N31 26 E33 45,” Feiler said.
The Israeli military confirmed that the ship was boarded, after first denying that they had attacked or boarded it.
“A short while ago, Israeli navy soldiers boarded Estelle, a vessel which was en route to the Gaza Strip, attempting to break the maritime security blockade,” it said in a statement.
It said that the Finnish-flagged vessel was being led to the southern Israeli port of Ashdod.
The Estelle, the latest ship to try to break Israel’s blockade on Gaza as part of the ‘Freedom Flotilla’ movement, set sail from Naples in southern Italy.
Luigi de Magistris, the mayor of Naples, met with members of the crew during a visit to the Estelle in the city’s port.
The Estelle, whose voyage is being organized by an international pro-Palestinian coalition, is carrying humanitarian goods to the Gaza Strip.
There are 17 activists from around the world on board, including passengers and crew from Canada, Israel, Norway, Sweden and the US.