Israeli navy intercepts Norwegian-flagged Gaza-bound ship

The Israeli regime navy has intercepted a Norwegian-flagged ship with activists on board as it was approaching the shores of the besieged Gaza Strip to deliver humanitarian relief to the inhabitants of the impoverished enclave.

“The activity ended without exceptional events. At this time, the ship is being transferred to the port of Ashdod” along the coast of central Occupied Palestine, said a statement released by the Israeli regime military on Sunday.

The intercepted vessel was one of the four ships that made up the Freedom Flotilla, which intended to break Zionist entity’s nearly 12-year blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Adham Abu Salima, a spokesperson for Gaza's National Committee for Breaking the Siege, confirmed the attack by Israeli forces on the Freedom Flotilla ship. He said the committee had lost contact with the flotilla members. He added that 36 solidarity activists from 15 various countries were on board the vessel, which left the Italian city of Palermo on July 21.

According to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a second boat of the flotilla, the Swedish-flagged Freedom, is expected to arrive in the same area in the next couple of days.

Back in late May 2010, an Israeli raid on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, comprising six civilian ships, killed 10 Turkish activists in high seas.

SS