Freedom Flotilla Coalition says aid vessel approaching Gaza bound ship left

CAIRO - The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said early on June 9 that the Israeli military had “boarded” the Gaza-bound charity ship the Madleen.

Connections have been lost on the ship, the coalition added in a post on Telegram.

Earlier, it said a vessel that was approaching the Madleen has left, after an alarm was sounded on the ship warning of a possible interception.

Hours earlier, the Israeli Defence Minister Israeli Katz said he told the military to stop the boat carrying activists including Swedens Greta Thunberg and a symbolic quantity of aid, including rice and baby formula, to Gaza in defiance of an Israeli blockade.

The coalition posted on its Telegram account a voice memo of Mr Thiago Avila, one of the activists onboard, saying we have been surrounded by many lights all at once; they were circling our boat but in the end they kept going their own way.

Operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the British-flagged Madleen boat is currently off the Egyptian coast, heading slowly towards the Gaza Strip, which is besieged by Israel. REUTERS

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