Foreign ministry spokesman says 430 Gaza flotilla activists being transferred to Israel

Israeli authorities said that 430 activists aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla were en route to Israel, after their vessels were intercepted at sea. Sailing from Turkiye last week, the Global Sumud Flotilla vessels are the latest in a string of attempts by activists to breach Israel’s blockade of the Palestinian territory, with the last convoy intercepted by Israeli forces last month. “Another PR flotilla has come to an end. All 430 activists have been transferred to Israeli vessels and are making their way to Israel, where they will be able to meet with their consular representatives,” a spokesman from Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said late on Tuesday. “This flotilla has once again proved to be nothing more than a PR stunt at the service of Hamas,” the spokesman added. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier denounced the flotilla as “a malicious scheme designed to break the blockade we have imposed on Hamas terrorists in Gaza”. The US on Tuesday sanctioned four people associated with the Global Sumud Flotilla and accused them of being “pro-terrorist”. Around 50 ships had departed from southwestern Turkiye on Thursday. A website tracking the flotilla’s location later showed several vessels being intercepted west of Cyprus. Nine Indonesian citizens who were part of the flotilla “have all been reported arrested by Israel,” a spokeswoman for Indonesia’s foreign ministry said, citing information dated on Wednesday. Indonesia called on Israel to immediately release all vessels and crew members, adding that “every diplomatic channel and consular measure will continue to be fully utilised”. Saad Edhi, the son of prominent social worker Faisal Edhi and the grandson of late philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi, is among the activists detained. Indonesian newspaper Republika earlier said two of its journalists were among the nine Indonesians detained. Organisers said the flotilla als...

Original source: Dawn Pakistan