The Israeli military has intercepted a Gaza-bound aid ship attempting to break the blockade on the Palestinian territory, detaining 21 international activists and journalists and seizing all humanitarian cargo, including baby formula, food, and medicine, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said on Sunday. According to the coalition, the ship Handala was "violently intercepted" by Israeli naval forces in international waters approximately 40 nautical miles off Gaza late Saturday night. The group said Israeli forces cut the ship's communications and disabled onboard cameras shortly before midnight. "All cargo was non-military, civilian, and intended for direct distribution to a population facing deliberate starvation and medical collapse under Israel's illegal blockade," the coalition said in a statement. Israel's military has not issued an official statement, but the Foreign Ministry confirmed on social media platform X that the Navy had stopped the vessel and was bringing it ashore. This marks the second time in recent months that Israel has intercepted a vessel operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. In June, the ship Madleen, which carried 12 activists including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, was also seized. In May, another coalition vessel, Conscience, sustained a disabling drone attack off the coast of Malta. The latest interception comes amid growing global condemnation of Israel's restrictions on aid to Gaza, where the humanitarian crisis continues to deteriorate. International bodies have warned of rising hunger and the risk of famine, as aid access remains severely restricted. Regional human rights group Adalah said Israel's raid on the Handala violated international law, calling for the immediate release of the detained passengers. The organization noted that the ship never entered Israeli territorial waters and was headed toward Gaza's coast, which it described as the territorial waters of the State of Palestine under international law. "The vessel's interception in international waters is a clear breach of maritime and humanitarian law," Adalah said in a statement. The group added that the ship had arrived at Israel's Ashdod port, but lawyers were being denied access to the detainees, who include lawmakers and human rights activists from 10 different countries. Among those detained are seven U.S. citizens, including a human rights lawyer, a Jewish U.S. military veteran, and a Jewish-American activist, according to the coalition. Two Italian citizens were also on board. Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he had discussed their case with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who reportedly said they would be deported within three days unless they agreed to leave immediately. — Agencies
