Aid flotilla organizer says 'Israel is preparing to commit a war crime in the middle of international waters'
The Israeli Navy is preparing to intercept the humanitarian vessel "Madleen" as it approaches Gaza's waters, with plans to forcibly redirect it to Ashdod port, Israel's Channel 12 reported Sunday.
The military aims to halt the ship before it enters Gaza's territorial waters, citing its enforcement of the naval blockade, the news channel reported.
The activists on board will be handed over to Israeli authorities for deportation, Channel 12 also reported.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the military to prevent the vessel from reaching Gaza.
The operation follows Israel's earlier vow to prevent the ship from reaching Gaza, fearing it would set a precedent for future blockade-breaking attempts.
Channel 12 also reported that due to the Madleen vessel's widespread international coverage, every Israeli procedure for dealing with it will be shared on social media.
As the ship approaches Gaza, the International Committee for Breaking the Siege on Gaza announced Sunday that Israel is attempting to block the ship's location and signal. "It seems Israel is jamming our colleagues' location and signal on the Madleen (vessel)."
"This is serious... We'll keep you posted," the statement added.
The committee also published an electronic link to live-track the vessel, encouraging people to share it "all over the internet."
"Israel is preparing to commit a war crime in the middle of international waters," it also said.
The ship also has 12 activists on board, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Irish actor Liam Cunningham.
Last week, Israeli state broadcaster KAN reported that Tel Aviv had reversed its initial decision to allow the ship to pass. The approval was withdrawn under the pretext of "setting a precedent" for future humanitarian aid missions.
The ship is carrying urgently needed supplies for the people of Gaza, including baby formula, flour, rice, diapers, women's sanitary products, water desalination kits, medical supplies, crutches, and children's prosthetics, according to its organizers.
Another ship operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Conscience, was targeted by drones off the coast of Malta on May 2.
Israel, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a devastating offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 54,800 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among the enclave's more than 2 million inhabitants.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.
