Israeli forces introduced the pro-Palestinian activist boat Handala into the port of Ashdod on Sunday, after seizing the vessel in worldwide waters and detaining the crew, an AFP journalist noticed.
Campaigners from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition had tried to breach an Israeli naval blockade of the Palestinian territory of Gaza, however had been intercepted late Saturday.
The authorized rights centre Adalah instructed AFP its attorneys had been in Ashdod and had been allowed to talk to 19 members of the 21-strong worldwide crew, which included two French parliamentarians and two Al Jazeera journalists.
The remaining two of these detained had been twin US and Israeli residents and had been transferred to police custody, Adalah mentioned.
“After 12 hours at sea, following the illegal interception of the Handala, Israeli authorities confirmed the vessel’s arrival at Ashdod port,” mentioned the group, set as much as marketing campaign for the rights of Israel’s Arab inhabitants.
“Adalah reiterates that the activists aboard the Handala had been a part of a peaceable civilian mission to interrupt by means of Israel’s unlawful blockade on Gaza. The vessel was intercepted in worldwide waters and their detention constitutes a transparent violation of worldwide regulation.”
Earlier, the Israeli overseas ministry mentioned the navy stopped the Handala to forestall it from getting into the coastal waters off the territory of Gaza.
“The vessel is safely making its strategy to the shores of Israel. All passengers are protected,” it mentioned.
Simply earlier than midnight native time on Saturday, video streamed reside from the Handala confirmed Israeli troops boarding the vessel. A web-based tracker confirmed the ship in worldwide waters west of Gaza.
The ship had been heading in the right direction to attempt to break an Israeli naval blockade of Gaza and produce a small amount of humanitarian help to the territory’s Palestinian residents.
The Handala’s crew had mentioned earlier than their seize in a publish on X that they might go on a starvation strike if the Israeli military intercepted the boat and detained its passengers.
On board had been activists from 10 nations, together with two French MPs from the left-wing France Unbowed occasion, Emma Fourreau and Gabrielle Cathala. There are additionally American, European and Arab activists amongst these detained.
A earlier boat despatched by Freedom Flotilla, the Madleen, was additionally intercepted by the Israeli army in worldwide waters on June 9 and towed to Ashdod.
It carried 12 campaigners, together with outstanding Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. The activists had been ultimately expelled by Israel.