Israel Boards and Seizes Activist Vessel in International Waters

On Saturday night, the Israeli military intercepted and boarded an activist aid ship in international waters, preventing it from approaching Gaza with a cargo of food.

The British-flagged vessel Handala (AIS reporting name Navarn) got under way from Italy in mid-July, carrying 21 passengers and crew. The vessel's holds were loaded with baby formula and food to provide symbolic relief for the ongoing food shortage in Gaza.

At a position about 70 nautical miles from Gazan shores, an armed Israeli boarding team came aboard the vessel. The first moments of the interdiction were captured on a social media livestream, which soon ended. After taking command of the vessel, the boarding team changed course and headed for Ashdod; on arrival, the activists were detained and questioned.

"The vessel is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. All passengers are safe," the Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement. "Unauthorized attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts."

A spokesperson for the vessel's operator, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, said that the unauthorized boarding in international waters was a violation of international law.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani spoke with Israel's foreign minister on Sunday to discuss the fate of two Italian activists who were aboard the vessel. According to Saar, the detainees have two options: sign a prewritten declaration and leave voluntarily, or stay in detention and be forcibly repatriated.

It is the second time this summer that Israel has intercepted and seized a Freedom Flotilla vessel in international waters. The first, the Madleen, was interdicted in June; the passengers on that voyage included activist Greta Thunberg and a member of European Parliament, Rima Hassan. The Madleen's crew reported a suspected drone attack off Malta in May, which delayed its departure for Gaza.

Israel's government has prohibited inbound vessel traffic to the shores of Gaza for 18 years, part of its attempt to prevent foreign armament from reaching terrorist group Hamas. In light of the current food shortage emergency in the territory, the naval blockade has taken on new meaning, and the Freedom Flotilla Coalition has renewed long-dormant attempts to break it.

Gaza's Hamas-linked health ministry - the only source of statistical information on population-level health in the Gaza Strip - says that more than 130 people have died of starvation in the territory since the start of the Israeli operation in 2023. More than half were children, according to the ministry.

Amidst rising diplomatic pressure, Israel announced Sunday that it is allowing more UN aid convoys into Gaza, partially reversing food-delivery restrictions that it has had in place since March.