Navy seizes aid boat heading toward Gaza Strip

The Israel Navy intercepted a boat carrying international activists attempting to break a blockade of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip yesterday and forced it to sail to Ashdod instead, the Israel Defense Forces said.

The navy had earlier surrounded the vessel, which was carrying humanitarian aid, and told the activists to turn back because of security risks in the area and the blockade, according to the IDF.

But the boat later entered Gaza's coastal waters, the IDF Spokesperson said in a statement, after which it was boarded.

The crew was to be handed over to the appropriate authorities, the IDF said.

In the statement, the IDF Spokesperson added that it "would like to emphasize that any organization or country that wishes to transfer humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip can legally do so via the established crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip with prior coordination."

The army said humanitarian goods found on board the boat would be transferred to Gaza, subject to authorization.

The Free Gaza Movement, which organized the trip, said the vessel left the Cypriot port of Larnaca on Monday with three tons of medical supplies.

The 20 passengers included former U.S. Representative Cynthia McKinney, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Corrigan-Maguire and others.

The ship was flying a Greek flag, but no Greek citizens were aboard. The Greek government said it was demanding the release of the ship, crew and passengers.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said Israel was planning to free the crew and passengers.