Final flotilla boat sails on in direction of Gaza after Israel interceptions

[ad_1] The World Sumud Flotilla -- consisting of dozens of ships -- set sail final month, ferrying politicians and activists together with Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg in direction of Gaza, the place the United Nations says famine is taking maintain.

The Israeli navy started intercepting them on Wednesday, and an Israeli official mentioned the next day that boats with over 400 folks on board had been prevented from reaching the coastal territory.

The flotilla mentioned on Friday that 42 vessels had been "illegally intercepted" and their passengers "unlawfully kidnapped".

That left only one ship, the Marinette, urgent forward with its mission to interrupt the Israeli blockade of Gaza, in response to the flotilla's tracker.

<img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/19fff120-a00b-11f0-8a60-005056a90284/w:980/3cac29b0b457d522d96a5139088c1e6ca313fa67.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/19fff120-a00b-11f0-8a60-005056a90284/w:246/3cac29b0b457d522d96a5139088c1e6ca313fa67.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/19fff120-a00b-11f0-8a60-005056a90284/w:388/3cac29b0b457d522d96a5139088c1e6ca313fa67.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/19fff120-a00b-11f0-8a60-005056a90284/w:720/3cac29b0b457d522d96a5139088c1e6ca313fa67.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/19fff120-a00b-11f0-8a60-005056a90284/w:980/3cac29b0b457d522d96a5139088c1e6ca313fa67.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="Israeli navy interceptions of the flotilla's vessels drew worldwide protests" style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> Israeli navy interceptions of the flotilla's vessels drew worldwide protests © Federico PARRA / AFP "The world noticed what occurs when civilians problem a siege. And nonetheless -- Marinette sails on," the flotilla mentioned on Instagram.

"She is aware of the destiny of her sisers on the water. She is aware of what awaits. And he or she refuses to show again."

Protesters world wide held rallies on Thursday condemning Israel's interceptions and urging larger sanctions in response.

About 15,000 folks marched in Barcelona -- the place the flotilla started its voyage -- chanting slogans together with "Gaza, you aren't alone", "Boycott Israel" and "Freedom for Palestine".

A whole bunch additionally gathered outdoors the Irish parliament in Dublin, the place Miriam McNally, whose daughter was crusing with the flotilla, mentioned she was "apprehensive sick".

Protests additionally happened in Paris, Berlin, The Hague, Tunis, Brasilia and Buenos Aires, in response to AFP correspondents.

Netanyahu reward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the interceptions.

"I commend the troopers and commanders of the navy who carried out their mission on Yom Kippur in probably the most skilled and environment friendly method," he mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.

<img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/1959ee7e-a00b-11f0-ac60-005056a90284/w:980/d9c96380693c328c79055ff761ee7687dcaa4c76.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/1959ee7e-a00b-11f0-ac60-005056a90284/w:246/d9c96380693c328c79055ff761ee7687dcaa4c76.jpg 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/1959ee7e-a00b-11f0-ac60-005056a90284/w:388/d9c96380693c328c79055ff761ee7687dcaa4c76.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/1959ee7e-a00b-11f0-ac60-005056a90284/w:720/d9c96380693c328c79055ff761ee7687dcaa4c76.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/1959ee7e-a00b-11f0-ac60-005056a90284/w:980/d9c96380693c328c79055ff761ee7687dcaa4c76.jpg 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="Protesters around the world held rallies on Thursday condemning Israel's interceptions and urging greater sanctions" style="max-height:567px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> Protesters world wide held rallies on Thursday condemning Israel's interceptions and urging larger sanctions © KEMAL ASLAN / AFP "Their vital motion prevented dozens of vessels from coming into the conflict zone and repelled a marketing campaign of delegitimisation in opposition to Israel."

Gaza's civil defence company and hospitals mentioned Israeli strikes on the territory killed at the least 52 folks on Thursday, together with an worker of the French charity Docs With out Borders.

The practically two-year conflict was sparked by Palestinian militant group Hamas's unprecedented assault on Israel on October 7, 2023.

The assault resulted within the deaths of 1,219 folks, principally civilians, in response to an AFP tally based mostly on official Israeli figures.

Israel's retaliatory army marketing campaign since then has killed 66,225 Palestinians in Gaza, additionally principally civilians, in response to figures from the Hamas-run well being ministry, which the United Nations considers dependable.