Journalist Tania Safi and human rights activist Robert Martin on board Freedom Flotilla Coalition vessel the Handala, group says
A boat carrying two Australians has been intercepted by Israeli troops, Israel’s foreign ministry has confirmed, as a pro-Palestinian activist group claims its crew have been subjected to “unlawful” detention while attempting to transport aid to Gaza.
The Handala, registry name Navaren, led by the activist group the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, was roughly 50km from the Egyptian coast and 100km west of Gaza when intercepted, an online tracking tool set up to plot the ship’s course showed.
In a post on X, the Israeli foreign ministry said its navy had stopped “the vessel Navarn” from “illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza”.
“The vessel is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. All passengers are safe,” the post read. “Unauthorized attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts.”
