Earlier, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), the activist group operating the vessel, posted on Telegram, that the Madleen was “under assault in international waters.” Quadcopters are surrounding the ship, spraying it with a white irritant substance. Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio.” Before communication was apparently lost with the Madleen, a number of activists on board the vessel posted video and images of a white substance on the deck of the boat. Rima Hassan, a French member of the Europena parliament, posted this image to her X account in the last hour. Multiple sources have reported that communications have been lost with the Gaza-bound Madleen, amid reports that it has been boarded by the Israeli army. Al Jazeeera, who have a journalist on board who has been running a live feed, said they lost communication with the vessel “after Israeli commandos intercepted it in international waters.” They demanded that everyone on board turn off their phones, and we have lost contact with Al Jazeera Mubasher journalist Omar Faiad as well as our live feed.” The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group operating the vessel, said that “connection had been lost with the Madleen.” Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, has been in touch with the Madleen and says she lost connection with the captain a 1am UK time. I heard the soldiers speaking while the captain was on the phone with me. I lost connection with the captain as he was telling me that “another boat is approaching”. In a post online, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) has said their aid ship, bound for Gaza, has been boarded by the Israeli army. Connection has been lost on the ‘Madleen’. Israeli army have boarded the vessel.” The Madleen says it is attempting to reach the shores of the territory to bring in a symbolic amount of aid and raise international awareness of the continuing humanitarian crisis. Earlier, there were reports from activist on board that Israeli drones were flying over head and spraying with “a white irritant substance.” The Israeli foreign ministry has said the navy is communicating with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s (FFC) ship bound for Gaza and has advised it to change course. The FFC has said its Gaza-bound ship was “under assault”. It said the Madleen has had its communications jammed and was surrounded by quadcopters. Earlier, the Israeli defence minister has threatened to “take all necessary measures” to prevent a humanitarian ship carrying climate campaigner Greta Thunberg from reaching Gaza. The Madleen says it is attempting to reach the shores of the territory to bring in a symbolic amount of aid and raise international awareness of the continuing humanitarian crisis. But on Sunday, Israel Katz ordered the Israeli military to stop the ship from getting anywhere near Gaza. “I have instructed the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] to act so that the hate flotilla … does not reach the shores of Gaza – and to take all necessary measures to that end,” Katz said in a statement. The situation is developing quickly. We will bring you the latest updates here.
Author: Jonathan Yerushalmy