The organisers of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla said Israel intercepted its last remaining boat on Friday, after the interceptions of its fellow vessels drew protests worldwide.
“Marinette, the last remaining boat of the Global Sumud Flotilla, was intercepted at 10:29 am (0729 GMT) local time, approximately 42.5 nautical miles from Gaza,” the flotilla said on Telegram, adding that Israeli naval forces had “illegally intercepted all 42 of our vessels—each carrying humanitarian aid, volunteers, and the determination to break Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza," reports AFP.
The Global Sumud Flotilla -- consisting of dozens of ships -- set sail last month, ferrying politicians and activists including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg towards Gaza, where the United Nations says famine is taking hold.
The Israeli navy began intercepting them on Wednesday, and an Israeli official said the following day that boats with over 400 people on board had been prevented from reaching the coastal territory.
The flotilla said on Friday that 42 vessels had been "illegally intercepted" and their passengers "unlawfully abducted".
That left just one ship, the Marinette, pressing ahead with its mission to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza, according to the flotilla`s tracker.
