Israeli soldiers board MV Rachel Corrie

Israeli forces have boarded the Irish-owned aid ship, the MV Rachel Corrie, which was bound for Gaza.

The Israeli military said its forces seized a Gaza-bound aid vessel today, preventing it from breaking a maritime blockade of the Hamas-ruled territory.

The military said its forces boarded the 1,200-tonne MV Rachel Corrie cargo ship from the sea.

They said that helicopters were not used to board the Irish boat, and no resistance was encountered.

Israel wants the vessel, which is bringing humanitarian supplies to Gaza, to dock in the port of Ashdod, but the Israeli military says the ship has ignored four requests to divert.

The stand-off comes five days after the bloody seizure of another aid ship triggered an international outcry.