TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel’s authorities connected Sunday vowed to forestall an assistance vessel carrying Greta Thunberg and different activists from reaching the Gaza Strip.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel wouldn’t let anyone to break its naval blockade of nan Palestinian territory, which he said was aimed astatine preventing Hamas from importing arms.
“To nan antisemitic Greta and her chap Hamas propagandists — I will opportunity this clearly: You should move back, because you will not make it to Gaza,” he said successful a statement.
Thunberg, a ambiance campaigner, is among 12 activists aboard nan Madleen, which is operated by nan Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The alloy departed Sicily past Sunday connected a ngo that intends to break nan oversea blockade of Gaza and present humanitarian aid, while raising consciousness complete nan increasing humanitarian situation 20 months into nan Israel-Hamas war.
The activists had said they planned to scope Gaza’s territorial waters arsenic early arsenic Sunday.
Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian activistic connected committee nan boat, posted a video connected societal media Sunday day saying personification appeared to beryllium jamming their search and connection devices astir 160 nautical miles from Gaza.
Rima Hassan, a French personnel of nan European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, is among nan others onboard. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her guidance to Israeli policies toward nan Palestinians.

via Associated Press
After a 2½-month full blockade aimed astatine pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing immoderate basal assistance into Gaza past month, but humanitarian workers person warned of famine unless nan blockade is lifted and Israel ends its subject offensive.
An effort past period by Freedom Flotilla to scope Gaza by oversea grounded aft different of nan group’s vessels was attacked by 2 drones while sailing successful world waters disconnected Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged nan beforehand conception of nan ship.
Israel and Egypt person imposed varying degrees of blockade connected Gaza since Hamas seized powerfulness from rival Palestinian forces successful 2007. Critics of nan blockade opportunity it amounts to corporate reward of Gaza’s astir 2 cardinal Palestinians.
Israel sealed Gaza disconnected from each assistance successful nan early days of nan warfare ignited by nan Hamas-led onslaught connected confederate Israel connected Oct. 7, 2023, but later relented nether U.S. pressure. In early March, soon earlier Israel ended a ceasefire pinch Hamas, nan state again blocked each imports, including food, substance and medicine.
Hamas-led militants killed astir 1,200 people, mostly civilians, successful nan Oct. 7 onslaught and abducted 251 hostages, much than half of whom person since been released successful ceasefire agreements aliases different deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, much than half of them believed to beryllium dead.
Israel’s subject run has killed much than 54,000 Palestinians, according to nan Gaza Health Ministry, which has said women and children dress up astir of nan dead. It doesn’t opportunity whether those killed are civilians aliases combatants.
The warfare has destroyed immense areas of Gaza and displaced astir 90% of nan territory’s population, leaving group location almost wholly limited connected world aid.
___