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Israel holds Freedom Fleet activists at sea

Adalah has confirmed that the activists in the flotilla are part of a "civilian mission" to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza and has described their capture and capture in international waters as "illegal".

FOTODELDÍA MAR MEDITERRÁNEO, 09/06/2025.- Fotografía facilitada por la Coalición de la Flotilla de la Libertad (FFC), de la tripulación del buque Madleen, con destino a Gaza, sentada en la embarcación, con chalecos salvavidas y las manos en alto, en el Mediterráneo,este lunes. La FFC declaró que su barco civil, que transportaba un pequeño cargamento de ayuda humanitaria, fue interceptado por la fuerza por el ejército israelí en aguas internacionales el 9 de junio de 2025. Las autoridades israelíes informaron que se impidió a la flotilla romper el bloqueo de la Franja de Gaza y fue escoltada hasta el puerto israelí de Ashdod, añadiendo que se esperaba que sus pasajeros regresaran a sus países de origen. EFE/EPA/COALICIÓN DE LA FLOTILLA DE LA LIBERTAD***SOLO USO EDITORIAL/SOLO DISPONIBLE PARA ILUSTRAR LA NOTICIA QUE ACOMPAÑA (CRÉDITO OBLIGATORIO)***

Freedom Fleet activists at the time of their arrest.

Twelve Freedom Fleet passengers and activists intercepted this morning by Israel in international waters "have not yet been taken to land and are at sea," the group representing Adalah reported today.

"The Immigration Authority has confirmed that activists are not in their custody. It appears that leaders want to deport them. According to the authorities, those who cannot be deported today will be brought to court tomorrow," Adalah said in a statement.

Adalah has confirmed that activists in the flotilla, including climate activist Greta Thumberg, are part of a "civilian mission" to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza and has described their capture and capture in international waters as "illegal."

"So far, Israel has not provided sufficient information on its whereabouts and legal status," the group added.

For his part, Israeli Government spokesman David Mencer has stated in a video conference that the intercepted vessel off Gaza is being towed to the Israeli port of Ashdod, where activists will be deported "shortly" to their countries of origin.

The spokesman also wanted to ridicule the initiative, which he described as a "selfie yacht" rather than a flotilla with humanitarian aid to Gaza. "It was not humanitarian aid, but Instagram activism," he added.

Mencer has tried to justify Israel's action, arguing that allowing the ship to reach Gaza "would open the door to terrorism sponsored by Iran, extremists around the world and pseudo-activists seeking headlines about Israel's legal blockade."

Blockade since 2007

Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza on 2 March, arguing that Hamas was receiving aid, as Tel Aviv has always done. The aid entered the Strip again on 19 May, but in a very limited manner. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Gazans are already starving, according to the UN and other humanitarian groups.

Gaza has been under Israel's land, air, and sea blockade since 2007 (when it also took control of the Rafah crossing bordering Egypt), when Hamas took power after winning the elections.

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