Israel warns that two ships will not break blockade

Israel has urged Lebanon and the international community to prevent two ships from sailing to Gaza from a Lebanese port to break Israel’s blockade of the Hamas-ruled Palestinian territory, warning that the vessels will be stopped.

Israel’s United Nations ambassador Gabriela Shalev accused organisers of the aid ships Junia and Julia of seeking “to incite a confrontation and raise tensions in our region”.

A deadly Israeli commando raid on a Turkish ship on May 31 killed nine activists and focused international attention on Israel’s blockade.