Israel intercepts Gaza aid ships in international waters, organisers say

It is understood that the sister of President Catherine Connolly, Margaret Connolly, is on board a vessel which has not yet been intercepted

A screengrab from one of the cameras onboard showing the interception of one of the vessels in the flotilla. Picture: eire_globalsumud

Israel has intercepted aid ships bound for Gaza in international waters near Greece, flotilla organisers said on Thursday, ​decrying the move as an "escalation of Israel's impunity".

A second flotilla ‌carrying humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza sailed from the Spanish port of Barcelona on April 12, aiming to try to break the Israeli blockade.

It is understood that the sister of President Catherine Connolly, Margaret Connolly, as well as a number of Irish citizens, are on board one of the vessels that is part of the flotilla.

In a message posted in the early hours of Thursday morning, Dr Connolly said that while surrounding boats are being intercepted, the vessel she is on is "still escaping interception and is en route to Crete."

The vessels ​were seized by Israel hundreds of miles from Gaza, said ​the organisers, Global Sumud Flotilla.

"This is piracy," the group said ⁠in a statement. 

"This is the unlawful seizure of human beings ​on the open sea near Crete, an assertion that Israel can operate ​with total impunity, far beyond its own borders, with no consequences."

No state had the right to claim, police, or occupy international waters, but Israel had done ​that, extending its control outward to occupy the Mediterranean Sea off ​the coast of Europe, it added.

Israel's UN envoy Danny Danon said the flotilla "was stopped ‌before ⁠reaching our area".

In a posting on X, he added, "Our brave IDF soldiers are acting with professionalism and determination, dealing with a group of delusional attention-seeking agitators," referring to the Israeli military.

Israel's military halted a ​previous flotilla assembled ​by the same ⁠organisation last October in an attempt to reach blockaded Gaza, arresting Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and more ​than 450 participants, including Cork's Tadhg Hickey and other Irish activists.

Israel, which controls all access to ​the Gaza ⁠Strip, denies withholding supplies for its residents, numbering more than two million.

Yet Palestinians and international aid bodies say supplies reaching the territory are still ⁠insufficient, ​despite a ceasefire reached in October that ​included guarantees of increased aid.