Gaza activists condemn Israeli interception of Gaza-bound aid flotilla

Palestinian activists condemned on Monday the Israeli interception of a ship that was sailing to Gaza Strip to defy over eight years of blockade imposed on the coastal enclave.

Several pro-Palestinian solidarity groups organized a Gaza-bound aid flotilla that consists of three ships and three fishing boats, and began on Friday to sail toward the shores of the Gaza Strip in defiance of the Israeli blockade.

Israeli naval forces intercepted one of the ships called "Marianne" which carries the flag of Sweden and dragged it to the Israeli port of Ashdod.

The vessel is the first in a flotilla called the "Third Freedom Flotilla," set to reach Gaza and transgress the Israeli-imposed blockade, in order to raise awareness to the blockade, and provide humanitarian assistance as well.

Israel imposed the blockade on Gaza following Hamas' takeover of the enclave in 2007.

Israel radio said that there were several Arab and international activists on board the ship, and that Arab activists were sent back to their countries through Jordan and other activists will be sent back to their countries by air.

A coalition in support of the flotilla told a news conference in Gaza condemned what it described as Israel's "piracy against Gaza freedom flotilla."

"We call on the government of Sweden... to immediately intervene to guarantee the safety of the activists and sue the occupation for its piracy against the ship," the collation said.

Mazen Kuhail, chairman of European campaign to defy the Israeli siege, said that the Israeli naval forces committed another new crime by intercepting the flotilla that is sailing to Gaza.

"We reiterate that we will keep sending ships to Gaza no matter what the occupation does, to break the siege imposed on Gaza," he said.

Kuhail "calls on the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic States to intervene to save and rescue former president of Tunisia Mohamed al-Monsef al-Marzooqi, who is on board of the intercepted ship."

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri, in an emailed statement, condemned the Israeli interception of the ship as a "nastiest action" that violated "international law and shows that the occupation insists on keeping Gaza under its siege."