Israel intercepts the ‘Handala’, the second ship of the Fleeta de la Libertad that was heading to Gaza | International

Israeli army commands intercepted this Saturday at midnight on the high seas to Handalaabout 64 kilometers from Gaza, to the second ship of the coalition of the Fleeta de la Libertad that tried to reach the coasts of the Palestinian Strip, as reported by that organization in its accounts on social networks.

He Handala He intended to reach the coast of the strip in an attempt to break the blockade of the entry of humanitarian aid by Israel. According to the Fleeta de la Libertad, that purpose was truncated when Israeli commands approached the ship in a “violent” way. They also arrested their 21 crew, among which are the Spaniards Santiago González Vallejo and Sergio Toribio.

A statement from the organization on its website denounces that the boat was approached near midnight, an hour less in peninsular Spain, in international waters, “in violation of international maritime law.”

“The coalition of the freedom flotilla confirms that the civil ship Handalawhich was aimed at breaking the illegal and genocidal block of the Palestinians in Gaza, was violently intercepted by the Israeli army in international waters, approximately 40 nautical miles (64 kilometers) of Gaza, ”says the organization. The text details that the ship was“ disarmed ”and that transported“ vital supplies ”for the population of Gaza Israelis

The same note denounces that “the occupation (the Israeli forces) cut the cameras aboard the Handala”, Which caused communication with the boat to be lost, in which activists from 12 different countries, including parliamentarians, lawyers, journalists, trade unionists and human rights defenders.

Minutes after it was known that Israel had intercepted the ship, the account on the social network X (formerly Twitter) of the Flotilla published a video of the Spanish Sergio Toribio Sánchez, which he had previously recorded: “If you are watching this video it is because we have been intercepted in the sea and I have been kidnapped by the Israeli occupation forces or by forces of a complicit country of the genocide of Israel against the Palestinian people” This engineer warned. In the same video, Toribio claimed “companions, family and friends” to “press the Spanish government” to demand their release and that of the rest of the crew.

The assault of Israeli forces against the Handala It coincides with a moment of global outrage due to the catastrophic situation of the population in the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli blockade to humanitarian aid causes deaths from starvation daily.

On June 9, a first ship of the Fleeta de la Libertad, the MADLEENwhich also transported a small cargo of help to Gaza was intercepted by Israel, also in international waters. The activists traveling in him, including Sergio Toribio, were then transferred to Israel and deported.