The Handala, a boat for Gaza intercepted by the Israeli army, arrived in Israel. His passengers were arrested. Most of the crew, including MP LFI Emma Fourreau, began a hunger strike.
Intercepted by the Israeli army as he headed for Gaza, the Handala, a “flotilla for freedom”, arrived in Israel this Sunday, July 27. A hunger strike has been started by the crew in which two French elected representatives of rebellious France appear, in particular the EMMA Fourreau MEP.
Activists from ten countries and journalists were on board the Handala. Before they even be arrested, all had warned that they would stop feeding if the Israeli army intercepted the boat and challenged its passengers.
Starting from Syracuse on July 13, this ship dispatched by “flotilla for freedom”, a Propalestinian movement, aimed to break the Israeli naval blockade in Gaza, in order to bring a small amount of humanitarian aid to the inhabitants of the territory, ravaged by more than 21 months of war.
The Handala was in international waters, in the Mediterranean, west of Gaza, when it was stopped by the Israeli army. According to the Israeli NGO Adalah, the detention of its passengers “constitutes a blatant violation of international law”.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the navy had stopped the Handala to prevent it from entering the waters off the Gaza Strip. “All passengers are safe and sound,” he said.
Emma Fan as well as 11 other crew members refused to sign their “voluntary” expulsion. They will therefore be presented to a court and will remain in detention pending their dismissal from the country. Three passengers have however agreed to be expelled from Israel: the elected LFI Gabrielle Cathala is one of them.
