Gaza [Palestine], October 2: The Israeli Foreign Ministry released a video purportedly showing an Israeli navy officer telling the Global Sumud Flotilla to change its course to the Israeli port of Ashdod, "where the aid will undergo a security inspection" before being transferred to Gaza.
The Global Sumud Flotilla released its own video showing a response from steering committee member Thiago Avila.
"You say that we are entering an active warzone. You are saying that we are entering a place where you are committing war crimes," Avila said. "This is against international law. Once again, the International Court of Justice made a provisional ruling that any attempt to hinder a humanitarian mission to Gaza is prohibited by international law, and [the flotilla] is complying with the request to make you accountable for the crime of genocide."
"It is our moral duty to refuse any attempt of an occupying force to control humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people in Gaza who have . the right to control their own borders," he added. "Therefore, we do not recognise you as a legitimate agent to bring aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza."
The pro-Palestinian Gaza aid flotilla, consisting of more than 40 private boats, earlier on Wednesday reported a warship approaching shortly before reaching its destination.
An activist on board posted a video on the platform X, allegedly showing an armed patrol boat operating without lights in close proximity to one of the private vessels.
The organizers of the action, which includes Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, reported on Telegram in the morning that activists are preparing themselves "for an imminent attack." A few posted that Israeli naval ships menaced the convoy overnight.
These claims could not initially be independently verified.
Thunberg told the Swedish broadcaster SVT on Tuesday evening that the situation was good. "We are continuing our journey and our humanitarian mission towards Gaza as planned," she said.
If everything goes according to plan, the flotilla is expected to arrive in Gaza in a few days.
The group of motor and sailing boats departed from Barcelona at the end of August.
According to the activists, their aim is to deliver aid supplies to the population of the Gaza Strip, which has been blockaded by Israel and Egypt for years, and to protest against Israel's military actions in the coastal enclave.
The Israeli government has made it clear that it will prevent this attempt, as it has with all previous efforts to break the blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Offers to deliver the flotilla's aid supplies to Gaza via an Israeli port were rejected by the activists.
As of Wednesday morning, most of the boats were still about 140 kilometres west of the coastal strip, according to a ship-tracking page posted online by the activists.
In this area, which lies in international waters, Israel has previously stopped ships heading for Gaza.
Source: Qatar Tribune
