Gaza-bound activist boat with Greta Thunberg intercepted, boarded by Israel

A previous attempted voyage to Gaza by a flotilla of aid ships in 2010 ended in an international fracas

- Jared Malsin

Israeli forces intercepted and boarded a sailboat carrying a group of activists, including climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, who planned to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza in defiance of an Israeli blockade on the enclave.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said early Monday that the ship was "safely making its way to the shores of Israel" and that the passengers were expected to return to their home countries.

The ministry also posted a video of masked Israeli military personnel handing out sandwiches and bottled water to the activists.

"The maritime zone off the coast of Gaza is closed to unauthorized vessels under a legal naval blockade, consistent with international law," the Israeli Foreign Ministry had earlier said in a social-media post.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the activist group that organized the boat, said Israeli forces had boarded the vessel just after 3 a.m. local time and detained those onboard.

The coalition said the interception took place in international waters, posting a set of coordinates north of Egypt's Port Said near the entrance to the Suez Canal.