Staffs of Medical doctors With out Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres) (MSF) march behind a banner carrying placards as they stage an illustration towards the militarisation of provides of humanitarian assist within the Gaza strip, subsequent to the United Nations Places of work in Geneva on June 5, 2025. (Picture by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)
JERUSALEM — Israel on Sunday ordered the navy to cease a humanitarian ship carrying activists, together with Swedish local weather campaigner Greta Thunberg, from breaking the blockade of the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.
“I’ve instructed the navy to stop the Madleen flotilla from reaching Gaza,” Israeli Protection Minister Israel Katz mentioned in an announcement from his workplace.
Calling Thunberg an “antisemite” and the group of activists “Hamas propaganda mouthpieces”, he added: “Flip again as a result of you’ll not attain Gaza.”
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The Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, left Italy on June 1 with the intention of delivering assist and difficult the Israeli blockade, which has been in place for years even earlier than the Israel-Hamas conflict since October 2023.
Organizers mentioned Saturday the vessel had entered Egyptian waters and was nearing Gaza, the place the conflict has entered its twenty first month.
“Israel won’t enable anybody to interrupt the naval blockade of Gaza, which is aimed toward stopping weapons from reaching Hamas — a murderous terrorist group holding our hostages and committing conflict crimes,” Katz mentioned.
“Israel will act towards any try to interrupt the blockade or assist terror teams — by sea, air or land,” he added.
Israeli fireplace close to meals distribution website
In Gaza, the civil protection company mentioned Israeli assaults killed a minimum of 10 individuals on Sunday.
“5 martyrs and dozens of wounded had been taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis after the (Israeli) occupation forces opened fireplace on civilians at round 6:00 am”, mentioned Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the company.
The civilians had been heading to an assist distribution middle west of Rafah, close to a website run by the Gaza Humanitarian Basis, a US-backed group that has come beneath criticism from the United Nations and humanitarian businesses.
The United Nations refuses to work with the GHF, citing issues over its practices and neutrality.
The Israeli navy mentioned it fired on individuals who “continued advancing in a manner that endangered the troopers” regardless of warnings.
It mentioned the realm across the distribution level had been declared an “energetic fight zone” at evening.
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“Round 4:30 am, individuals began gathering within the Al-Alam space of Rafah. After about an hour and a half, lots of moved towards the location and the military opened fireplace,” eyewitness Abdallah Nour al-Din informed AFP.
5 useless in strike on tent
Outdoors Nasser Hospital, the place the emergency employees introduced the casualties, AFPTV footage confirmed mourners crying over blood-stained physique luggage.
“I can’t see you want this,” mentioned Lin al-Daghma by her father’s physique, whereas a person lay over his brother’s corpse.
They gave the identical account as Din, and spoke of the wrestle to entry meals assist after greater than two months of a complete Israeli blockade of Gaza, regardless of a current easing.
Dozens of individuals have been killed close to GHF distribution factors since late Could, based on the civil protection.
Bassal mentioned one other 5 individuals, together with two younger women, had been killed round in an in a single day strike that hit a tent within the Al-Mawasi displaced individuals camp in southern Gaza.
Israel’s military on Sunday accused Bassal of being linked to Hamas, an allegation he denied.
The military issued copies of what it mentioned had been Hamas membership lists to the media, with out clarifying the place or how the undated paperwork had been obtained.
“I don’t work for any navy group,” Bassal informed AFP, including that the company’s mission was guided by worldwide legislation.
The conflict was sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 assault on Israel, which resulted within the deaths of 1,218 individuals on the Israeli aspect, principally civilians, based on an AFP tally of official figures.
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On Sunday, the well being ministry in Hamas-run Gaza mentioned that the dying toll for the Gaza conflict had reached 54,880, the bulk civilians. The UN considers these figures dependable.