Samood flotilla in the middle of the waves; 19 ships seized but mission continues

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - International Service: Following the escalation of tensions in the region and increased international efforts to break the siege of Gaza, the Samood flotilla, which was carrying activists and humanitarian aid towards the Gaza coast, was attacked by Israeli forces this morning (Thursday, October 1).

 

This action has met with widespread reactions at the global level and once again drew public attention to the critical situation of civilians in Gaza.

 

The attack on the flotilla is not only a challenge to the principles of human rights and international law, but also raises serious questions about freedom of navigation and the responsibility of the international community to support humanitarian missions.

 

Read the latest news about this Israeli piracy below.

 

10 ships continue to move towards Gaza

The Palestinian news agency Ma’an reported that sources from the “Stability Flotilla” reported that at least 10 ships continue to move towards the Gaza Strip and have now approached a distance of about 40 nautical miles from the Gaza coast.

 

The spokesperson for the flotilla announced that the naval convoys continue their route despite the damage and obstacles, and their main goal is to break the siege and enable the direct entry of humanitarian aid to the besieged civilians in Gaza.

 

He added that the flotilla is operating in coordination with the ships and logistical support groups, and efforts will continue to open safe routes for the delivery of supplies.

 

He warned that any attempt to replace the flotilla route with proposals for the transfer of aid will not fundamentally solve the crisis, and called on the international community to take immediate action to ensure the protection of civilians and the unhindered delivery of aid.

 

On the other hand, Al Jazeera Qatar also announced in a breaking news this morning: A number of ships of the Stability Flotilla are still heading towards Gaza, despite the fact that the Israeli Navy has stopped 19 of the 44 boats.

 

This was the first time that dozens of ships were heading towards Gaza at the same time; the ships, which are carrying 532 civil society activists from more than 45 countries, are to break the blockade that has been in place for 18 years by delivering humanitarian aid.

 

The move comes as the Gaza Strip grapples with a severe famine, exacerbated by the Israeli regime’s blockade of the Strip since March 2, which has closed all crossings and prevented the entry of food, medicine and aid. This situation has displaced around 1.5 million Palestinians out of a total of 2.4 million people and left them homeless after the genocidal war.

 

According to the Gaza Ministry of Public Health, Israeli attacks since October 7, 2023 have killed 66,148 Palestinians and injured 168,716 others, most of whom are women and children. 455 people have also died from starvation, 151 of whom were children.

 

The Israeli Foreign Ministry’s announcement that it had seized the ships of the global “Resilience” flotilla and arrested activists, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, sparked a wave of international reactions.

 

Israel said it had stopped several ships and transferred their passengers to an Israeli port. The move came after the ships passed the site of an earlier attack on the Madeleine and were approaching the site of the attack on the Handala.

 

The International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza said that Israeli naval forces had attacked two ships, the Alma and the Sires, and threatened their crews, but were met with resistance from activists. According to Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed, 70 activists were abducted by Israel and six large ships were taken under Israeli control.