Israeli forces board Gaza-bound aid ship, says French MEP
'The Israeli army is here,' she wrote on X, adding that she and others on board planned to toss their phones into the sea.
Her post came as Al Jazeera Arabic reported that three Israeli naval ships had moved close to the aid vessel, just hours after the crew reported spotting an Israeli drone overhead.
Footage shared via livestream by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition later showed at least six Israeli soldiers boarding the ship.
Activists on board could be seen sitting together with life jackets on, holding their arms in the air.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Middle East Eye
2 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Oxfam warns that minor aid steps by Israel can't undo months of deliberate starvation
Oxfam International has criticised limited Israeli moves on aid access, warning they fall far short of what's needed to address the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. 'Deadly airdrops and a trickle of trucks won't undo months of engineered starvation in Gaza,' said Bushra Khalidi, Oxfam's policy lead for Israel and Palestine. She called for the full reopening of all border crossings to allow unimpeded aid delivery throughout the Gaza Strip and demanded a lasting ceasefire. 'What's needed is the immediate opening of all crossings for full, unhindered, and safe aid delivery across all of Gaza and a permanent ceasefire,' Khalidi said. 'Anything less risks being little more than a tactical gesture.'
Middle East Eye
2 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Negotiations with Israel pointless while Gaza faces famine and genocide, says Hamas
Hamas's top official in Gaza said on Sunday there is no longer any justification to continue negotiations with Israel while the genocide against Gaza continues and civilians are deprived of basic needs, accusing Israel of withdrawing from talks to stall and intensify the war. Khalil al-Hayya, deputy head of Hamas's political bureau in Gaza, delivered the remarks in a video statement days after Israel pulled its negotiating team out of Doha for what it called 'further consultations', despite Hamas issuing what it described as a constructive response to the latest ceasefire framework. 'There is no point in continuing negotiations under the siege, genocide, and starvation of our children and women in the Gaza Strip,' al Hayya said. He added that 'the immediate and dignified entry of food and medicine to our people is a serious expression of the feasibility of continuing the negotiations.' Al Hayya said Hamas had shown 'all possible flexibility that did not conflict with the principles of our people' throughout the indirect talks. He said that 'clear progress' had been made during the last round of negotiations and that Hamas had accepted key elements proposed by mediators. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters 'In the last round of negotiations, we agreed with what the mediators offered us regarding the withdrawal, prisoners, and aid,' he said. But he expressed shock at Israel's sudden departure from the talks, 'we were surprised by the occupation's withdrawal from the negotiations and its alignment with US envoy Steve Witkoff,' he added. 'The occupation's withdrawal from the negotiations round is a transparent step aimed at wasting time and causing more genocide,' al-Hayya added. Over 100,000 children in Gaza at risk of death due to Israeli blockade Read More » He said Hamas had responded to the mediators at every stage and reiterated that the Palestinian resistance had 'used all its tools and relationships over the course of 22 months to stop the aggression against the people of Gaza.' His remarks come amid growing international outrage over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, where aid agencies say famine-like conditions have taken hold in several areas. More than 100 humanitarian organisations warned on Wednesday that "mass famine" has been spreading across the Gaza Strip since Israel blocked humanitarian aid from entering in early March and began providing inadequate aid through the controversial GHF at the end of May. The Israeli and US-backed initiative has allowed an insufficient amount of relief supplies, while carrying out attacks against civilians seeking aid at the GHF sites. At least 127 Palestinians, including more than 85 children, have died of starvation since Israel's blockade resumed in March, according to the Palestinian health ministry. More than 1,121 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid at distribution sites operated by the GHF, manned by Israeli soldiers and US security contractors.
Middle East Eye
4 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Unrwa chief says Israel spread false aid theft claims to control relief
The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) has accused Israel of fabricating claims that Hamas was stealing large amounts of aid, saying the allegations were designed to push out humanitarian groups and tighten Israeli control over food distribution in Gaza. 'No proof of aid diversion in Gaza,' Unrwa Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote on social media. He said the accusations were part of a deliberate effort to damage the reputation of international relief agencies. 'Claims were only aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the humanitarian community & attempting to replace it with a diabolic and politically motivated distribution scheme,' he added. 'It's time for principled and at scale humanitarian response including through Unrwa.'
