The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said in a statement that "the civilian crew of the Hanzala ship arrived at Ashdod port after being illegally hijacked."
The statement added that lawyers and representatives of the Adalah human rights organization inside Israel are still awaiting official permission to meet with the detained activists, noting that Israeli authorities have not yet issued such permission.
The Israeli Navy intercepted the Hanthala ship on Saturday evening as it approached the coast of the Gaza Strip, carrying 21 international activists in an attempt to break the years-long blockade on the territory. The ship sent out a distress call shortly before the raid after Israeli boats approached it.
According to the International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza, the ship set sail from the Italian port of Syracuse on July 13, then stopped in Gallipoli on July 15 for technical reasons, before resuming its journey on July 20 toward Gaza.
This incident is part of a series of operations targeting ships in solidarity with Gaza. On June 9, the Israeli Navy seized the Madeleine ship as it sailed in international waters toward Gaza as part of the Freedom Flotilla. The Navy arrested 12 international activists, before deporting them after they pledged not to return.
On May 2, the Al-Dameer ship was attacked by an Israeli drone, causing a hole in its hull and a fire in its bow.
The Gaza Strip is experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in its history, with the tight blockade coinciding with extensive Israeli military operations since October 7, 2023, including bombing, starvation, and displacement.
Since March 2, 2024, Israel has been preventing the entry of food and medicine through the crossings, leading to widespread famine and the emergence of symptoms of severe malnutrition, particularly among children and the sick.
According to human rights and medical reports, the ongoing war has left more than 204,000 dead and wounded, most of them women and children, in addition to more than 9,000 missing, amid ongoing displacement and food and medicine shortages.
International organizations accuse Israel of committing genocide with US support, despite repeated disregard for international appeals and orders from the International Court of Justice.
