cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/31371672

(00:40 GMT) Madleen crew told to throw phones over board

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition has shared a video showing the crew in the moments before the ship was intercepted by Israeli forces.

The crew sat wearing life vests, with their hands in the air and threw their phones in the water.

(00:25 GMT) Crew’s eyes were burning after white substance dropped on Madleen

Here’s more from Huwaida Arraf, the co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement, which is supporting the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.

“Just moments ago, communication seemed to be cut,” Arraf told Al Jazeera from Sicily.

“So, we have lost all contact with our colleagues on the Madleen.”

“Before that, we know that they had two drones hovering above them that dropped some kind of chemical on the vessel. We don’t know what that chemical was,” she said.

“Some people reported that their eyes were burning. Before that, they were also approached by vessels in a very threatening manner.”

So at least for the last hour, hour and a half, they have been threatened by Israeli forces.”

“The last we saw, were able to hear from them, they were surrounded… by Israeli naval commandos and it looked like the commandos were about to take over the vessel.”

(00:21 GMT) Israeli forces intercept the Madleen, cut off comms

Contact has been lost with the Madleen after Israeli commandos intercepted it in international waters.

They demanded that everyone on board turn off their phones, and we have lost contact with Al Jazeera Mubasher journalist Omar Faiad as well as our live feed.

International Solidarity Movement co-founder, Huwaida Arraf, confirmed that they have also lost contact with the Madleen.

(00:12 GMT) Drones drop white paint on Madleen as comms jammed

The Gaza Freedom Flotilla says that quadcopters have surrounded the Madleen and are “spraying it with a white paint-like substance”.

“Communications are jammed and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio,” the flotilla said in a post on Instagram.

(23:45 GMT) Two drones hovering over the Madleen

The crew on board the Madleen is now taking cover as two drones are hovering overhead, says UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese.

“Two drones over the Madleen. They say they are quadcopters, the dangerous ones. TEAM IS TAKING COVER,” Albanese wrote on X.

(23:30 GMT) ‘Psychological warfare’ as two boats remain in front of Madleen

Speaking to Al Jazeera from on board the Madleen, Yasemin Acar, says that four vessels approached the ship and that two remain nearby.

“We are very close to Gaza, approximately 100 miles away,” she said.

“We sounded the alarm because we saw exactly four vessels approaching us all at the same time, two of which had blue lights,” she said.

“We had many lights suddenly surrounding us, and the four vessels suddenly just stopped.”

Acar added that two of the boats came as close as 200 meters from the Madleen before leaving, while the other two vessels remain nearby.

“Two of them are still right in front of me, they just stopped,” she said.

“We are reason to believe that this is psychological warfare.”

“It’s just a way of intimidating us and a way to make us turn back and not tried to challenge the illegal blockade on Gaza.”

(23:15 GMT) Francesca Albanese says Madleen ‘calm and safe now’

The UN Special Rapporteur on the the Occupied Palestinian Territories has said “all looks calm and safe now,” after alarms earlier sounded on board the Madleen.

“I just spoke again with the Flotilla, [including] its [Communication] Room in Catania”, Albanese said in a post on X.

“All looks calm and safe now. Speedboats watching; but the flotilla continues its sailing.”

“It will be a long night. And as they say and we say, ‘we are together’.”

(22:58 GMT) Freedom Flotilla Coalition says surrounding boats have left

In an audio message on the coalition’s Telegram, activist Thiago Avila has said the boats that surrounded the Madleen have now left.

“This, unfortunately, has been a very unlikely false alarm. we have been surrounded by many lights all at once. And they were circling our boat, but in the end, they kept going their own way,” he said.

“Could be IOF (Israel occupation forces) vessels, but in this case they just left and we don’t know,” he added. “We’re not sure.”

(22:40 GMT) ‘The IOF is here right now, please sound the alarm’

A video posted by Eye on Palestine shows Brazilian activist Thiago Avila wearing a life jacket.

“The IOF is here right now, please sound the alarm. We are being surrounded by their boats,” he said in the video.

“Yes this is an interception, a war crime is happening right now,” he said.

(22:35 GMT) UN rights expert says Israeli speedboats surrounding Madleen

In a post on X, Francesca Albanese said that she is in contact with the Madleen crew as they are now surrounded by Israeli vessels.

“They have just been reached by the Israel speedboats – 5 vessels circling the flotilla,” Albanese said.

“The captain is instructing the team to stay calm and seated, with their passports and life jackets on.”

“I hear them speaking with Israeli soldiers as I type… telling they are carrying humanitarian aid and go in peace. For the time being they are just circled. I am with them, recording everything.”

(19:35 GMT) Israel planning to intercept Madleen tonight

The Israeli Haaretz newspaper has reported that Israel’s Navy is planning to intercept Madleen tonight, and will seek to do so as far from the coast of Gaza as possible.

The newspaper framed the plan to intercept the Madleen deep in international waters as meant to avoid having to take the vessel by force, saying it will give the crew ample time to turn around.

Madleen’s crew has said they remain resolute in breaking the Israeli blockade.

Meanwhile, a senior Israeli official told Israel’s Channel 12 that the vessel will be boarded by commandos if it does not turn around and will be taken to Ashdod port.

(16:50 GMT) Thiago Avila, a Brazilian activist on board the Madleen vessel, tells Al Jazeera the boat is currently about 185km (100 nautical miles) off the coast of Gaza.

“We are here to support Gaza and demand an end to the bombing and starvation,” Avila said. “Despite threats, we will continue our journey. The world must stand with us.”

He said drones are flying overhead and communication systems had been jammed.

“We know Israeli forces are prepared to confront us with weapons, but we are not afraid,” he said. “What we face is nothing compared to what Palestinians in Gaza endure.”

Click the link to the latest updates.

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