Israeli forces brought the pro-Palestinian activist boat Handala into the port of Ashdod on Sunday, after seizing the vessel in international waters and detaining the crew, an AFP journalist saw.
Campaigners from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition had attempted to breach an Israeli naval blockade of the Palestinian territory of Gaza, but were intercepted late Saturday.
The legal rights centre Adalah told AFP its lawyers were in Ashdod and had demanded to speak to the 21-strong international crew, which includes two French parliamentarians and two Al Jazeera journalists.
"Israeli forces intercepted the Handala in international waters at around midnight on 27 July 2025 and contact with the activists was lost. This peaceful civilian mission was dedicated to the children of Gaza," the group said.
"This ship, which sailed as part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, is part of the coalition's ongoing efforts to break Israel's illegal and deadly blockade on the Palestinian people in Gaza."
Earlier, the Israeli foreign ministry said the Israeli navy stopped the Handala to prevent it from entering the coastal waters off the territory of Gaza.
"The vessel is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. All passengers are safe," it said.
Just before midnight local time on Saturday, video live stream broadcast from the Handala showed Israeli troops boarding the vessel. An online tracker showed the ship in international waters west of Gaza.
The ship had been on course to try to break an Israeli naval blockade of Gaza and bring a small quantity of humanitarian aid to the territory's Palestinian residents.
The Handala's crew had said before their capture in a post on X that they would go on a hunger strike if the Israeli army intercepted the boat and detained its passengers.
On board were activists from 10 countries, including two French MPs form the left-wing France Unbowed party, Emma Fourreau and Gabrielle Cathala.
A previous boat sent by Freedom Flotilla, the Madleen, was also intercepted by the Israeli military in international waters on June 9 and towed to Ashdod.
It carried 12 campaigners, including prominent Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. The activists were eventually expelled by Israel.
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Activist boat Handala seized off Gaza brought to Israel
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Activist boat Handala seized off Gaza brought to Israel
- The ship’s interception comes as Israel faces mounting international criticism over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza
Sudan general ready to talk to Trump for peace
- Sudan’s de facto leader, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, is ready to work with US President Donald Trump to resolve the conflict splitting his country, the foreign ministry said Tuesday
PORT SUDAN: Sudan’s de facto leader, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, is ready to work with US President Donald Trump to resolve the conflict splitting his country, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.
The ministry released a statement after the army chief visited Riyadh as a guest of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who recently presented Trump with a proposed Sudan peace plan during a Washington visit.
According to Sudan’s statement, Burhan hailed Trump’s “determination to engage in efforts to achieve peace and end the war in the country, with the participation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“He affirmed Sudan’s keenness to work with President Trump, his secretary of state, and his envoy for peace in Sudan to achieve this unquestionably noble goal,” it said, referring to Marco Rubio and US envoy Massad Boulos.
International peace efforts led by mediators from the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been at a standstill since Burhan rejected Boulos’s last suggested framework.
The RSF says it supports the international ceasefire plan, but heavy fighting continues, notably in the southern region of Kordofan.
For the moment, no new date has been announced for talks, neither under the US-led mediators nor a parallel United Nations’ led effort.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been gripped by a war pitting the army, which controls the north and east of the country, against the RSF, dominant in the west and certain areas of the south.
The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, uprooted millions and triggered what the UN calls “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.”
The ministry released a statement after the army chief visited Riyadh as a guest of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who recently presented Trump with a proposed Sudan peace plan during a Washington visit.
According to Sudan’s statement, Burhan hailed Trump’s “determination to engage in efforts to achieve peace and end the war in the country, with the participation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“He affirmed Sudan’s keenness to work with President Trump, his secretary of state, and his envoy for peace in Sudan to achieve this unquestionably noble goal,” it said, referring to Marco Rubio and US envoy Massad Boulos.
International peace efforts led by mediators from the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been at a standstill since Burhan rejected Boulos’s last suggested framework.
The RSF says it supports the international ceasefire plan, but heavy fighting continues, notably in the southern region of Kordofan.
For the moment, no new date has been announced for talks, neither under the US-led mediators nor a parallel United Nations’ led effort.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been gripped by a war pitting the army, which controls the north and east of the country, against the RSF, dominant in the west and certain areas of the south.
The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, uprooted millions and triggered what the UN calls “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.”
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