SEPANG: The Marinette, the final vessel of the Global Sumud Flotilla mission carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, was intercepted by the Israeli military this afternoon.
Hopes for delivering aid to the Palestinian people ended when armed Israeli soldiers boarded the ship at 3.30 pm Malaysian time.
Live footage from the Sumud Nusantara Command Centre showed the soldiers entering the vessel during the interception.
The Marinette had been sailing in the Red Zone R2 approximately 60 nautical miles from Gaza before being seized.
This incident marks the interception of all 42 ships participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla mission since early Thursday morning.
Earlier, more than 450 activists from 47 countries were transferred to the Port of Ashdod in southern Israel.
Activists aboard the intercepted ships represented nations including Malaysia, Spain, Italy, Brazil, and Turkey.
Other participants came from Greece, the United States, Germany, Sweden, Britain, and France.
The GSF fleet had been carrying various humanitarian aid items including medical supplies since late August.
This mission marked the first time in several years that approximately 50 ships sailed together toward Gaza.
Hundreds of civilians supporting the mission participated in the flotilla attempt.
Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza for almost 18 years, affecting nearly 2.4 million people.
The blockade was tightened further in March by closing border crossings and preventing food and medicine deliveries.
This tightening has pushed the Gaza territory into a state of famine according to international observers.
Since October 2023, Israeli bombings have killed over 66,200 Palestinians, with most casualties being women and children.
The United Nations and human rights groups have repeatedly warned that Gaza is becoming increasingly uninhabitable.
Famine and disease are spreading rapidly throughout the region due to the ongoing conflict and restrictions. – Bernama