Israeli forces intercepted a Dutch-flagged vessel from a Gaza aid flotilla on Wednesday evening, arresting six Dutch activists and one person of French nationality, Israeli authorities and the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) said.
According to the GSF, the Dutch “threw their cell phones into the sea so that they would stay out of the hands of the Israeli military.” The vessel, named Mohammed Bhar, is the only ship known to have sailed under the Dutch flag with the aid fleet.
There are a total of 16 Dutch activists distributed among the ships. It is unclear where those on board will be taken.
GSF said a spokesman reported that “a large boat from the army has been spotted nearby.” The organization suspects that everyone is initially being held there.
GSF reported early Thursday morning that about thirty boats had evaded interception. The fleet consists of some fifty boats carrying five to seven hundred activists, lawyers and politicians from more than forty countries, the organization said.
On Wednesday evening, Israeli authorities stopped the first boats. Thirteen ships were reportedly involved. Among them was climate activist Greta Thunberg, who was detained, GSF said.
When a similar flotilla was intercepted previously, some participants were deported after signing a document stating that they had entered Israel “illegally.” Those who refused were detained.
