Israeli forces intercept Gaza-bound aid ship ‘Handala’; activists detained

Israeli naval forces intercepted the Handala, a humanitarian aid ship headed for Gaza, approximately 70 nautical miles from its intended destination on Saturday night, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC).

Communication with the vessel was cut after Israeli forces boarded the ship.

“The occupation has disabled our cameras and all communication has been lost,” the FFC told CNN. A YouTube livestream captured the moment armed personnel boarded the deck, where unarmed activists—wearing life jackets—were seen surrendering with raised hands.

One Israeli officer appeared to tamper with the onboard camera before the stream abruptly ended.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry later confirmed the interception on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “The Israeli navy has stopped the vessel Navarn from illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza.”

The statement added that the ship, renamed Handala, was being redirected to Israel and that all passengers were safe.

The Handala is part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s ongoing efforts to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza.

Read more: Israel allows foreign countries to parachute aid into Gaza

The group reported that among the passengers were two European lawmakers and American trade unionist Christian Small. The vessel was carrying critical humanitarian supplies, including baby formula, diapers, food, and medicine.

Before its interception, the FFC said the ship had attempted to reroute toward Egypt to avoid Israeli interference.

This is the second such incident in recent weeks. In June, Israeli forces also intercepted the Madleen, another Gaza-bound aid ship with climate activist Greta Thunberg aboard. That vessel was also towed to Ashdod, and its crew was later deported.