Israel have intercepted all Gaza-bound vessels of the humanitarian “Global Sumud Flotilla” – except Marinette. Its current position has now been confirmed.
According to Al Jazeera, the vessel is sailing under the Polish flag with six people on board.
The live tracker shows that Marinette is moving through international waters at a speed of 2.16 knots (around 4 km/h), roughly 100 km (62 miles) away from Gaza’s territorial waters.
In a video posted on social media on Thursday, the ship’s captain said their vessel had faced engine trouble, which has since been resolved.
Organisers confirmed that the Marinette is still connected through Starlink. A live stream shows the vessel is still active.
Earlier, on Wednesday night, Israel raided the flotilla and detained more than 200 passengers, who were taken to Israel’s Ketziot Prison in the south. Among the detainees is Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
In a video recorded before detention, Greta said, “Israeli forces have forcibly detained me and brought me to Israel against my will.
“Our initiative was humanitarian, non-violent, and fully in line with international law. Please urge my government to demand the immediate release of me and the others.”
The Israeli foreign ministry claimed the flotilla passengers were attempting to enter an active combat zone and violating a “legitimate blockade.” Authorities also said the detainees would be deported to Europe.
Tel Aviv’s actions have drawn condemnation from Turkey, Malaysia, South Africa, Kuwait, and several other countries.
Italy, however, stated that the detained flotilla would not affect aid reaching Gaza residents.
