Israeli occupation forces stormed the Handala ship on Saturday night as it approached the coast of the Gaza Strip, nearly one week after it set sail from the Italian port of Gallipoli.
Images circulated online showed Israeli soldiers boarding the vessel, which was carrying international activists seeking to break the ongoing blockade on Gaza, now in its 17th year.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition reported that the Israeli military attacked the Handala while it was still in international waters.
Before all communication with the vessel was lost, the crew sent a distress signal after Israeli occupation forces began to approach.
Earlier in the evening, the International Committee for Breaking the Siege on Gaza announced that an Israeli drone had been spotted hovering above the ship, following reports that Israeli occupation forces were preparing to intercept it.
The committee warned that if the ship were seized, all those on board—including members of European parliaments, as well as artists and media figures—would begin an open-ended hunger strike in protest.
The Handala is carrying 21 international activists of various nationalities, in a renewed attempt to defy the Israeli-imposed blockade on Gaza and deliver a message of solidarity.
Since its departure last Sunday, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition has been livestreaming the ship’s journey on its YouTube channel, sharing real-time radar data and updates with the public.
The Handala set sail on July 13 from the Italian port of Syracuse, briefly docking in Gallipoli on July 15 to address technical issues. It resumed its voyage on July 20.
On June 9, Israeli occupation forces seized the Madleen in international waters as it attempted to deliver aid to Gaza. The 12 international activists on board were arrested and later deported after signing pledges not to return.
