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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Gaza-bound ship Estelle intercepted by Israeli forces | Gaza-bound ship Estelle intercepted by Israeli forces |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Israeli forces have intercepted a boat carrying pro-Palestinian activists seeking to breach the naval blockade on Gaza. | Israeli forces have intercepted a boat carrying pro-Palestinian activists seeking to breach the naval blockade on Gaza. |
| A military spokeswoman said no one was hurt when marines boarded the Estelle, which was rerouted to Israel's southern Mediterranean port of Ashdod. | A military spokeswoman said no one was hurt when marines boarded the Estelle, which was rerouted to Israel's southern Mediterranean port of Ashdod. |
| A campaigner said the boat had "come under attack" after being pursued by Israeli naval vessels. | A campaigner said the boat had "come under attack" after being pursued by Israeli naval vessels. |
| Activists said they lost contact with the Swedish-owned, Finnish-flagged boat early on Saturday. | Activists said they lost contact with the Swedish-owned, Finnish-flagged boat early on Saturday. |
| "The Estelle is now under attack. I have just had a message from them by phone. Some time ago, they said that they had military ships following them," Victoria Strand, a Stockholm-based spokeswoman for the Ship to Gaza Sweden campaign, told Agence France Presse (AFP). | "The Estelle is now under attack. I have just had a message from them by phone. Some time ago, they said that they had military ships following them," Victoria Strand, a Stockholm-based spokeswoman for the Ship to Gaza Sweden campaign, told Agence France Presse (AFP). |
| She added that it was unclear what the activists onboard meant when they said they had been attacked. | She added that it was unclear what the activists onboard meant when they said they had been attacked. |
| The Estelle is carrying 30 activists from Europe, Canada and Israel, humanitarian cargo such as cement, and goodwill items such as children's books. | The Estelle is carrying 30 activists from Europe, Canada and Israel, humanitarian cargo such as cement, and goodwill items such as children's books. |
| Israeli army radio reported that its naval forces had ordered the Estelle to halt its course. | Israeli army radio reported that its naval forces had ordered the Estelle to halt its course. |
| The Estelle is the latest in a series of vessels manned by activist that have tried to challenged Israel's blockade on Gaza, imposed after Hamas seized power in 2007. | The Estelle is the latest in a series of vessels manned by activist that have tried to challenged Israel's blockade on Gaza, imposed after Hamas seized power in 2007. |
| It left the Italian port of Naples on 7 October with about 20 people from eight countries on board. | It left the Italian port of Naples on 7 October with about 20 people from eight countries on board. |
| Israel maintains a tight naval blockade of Gaza, which it maintains is necessary to prevent arms smuggling to Hamas and other Palestinian militants. | Israel maintains a tight naval blockade of Gaza, which it maintains is necessary to prevent arms smuggling to Hamas and other Palestinian militants. |
| Palestinians describe the blockade as a collective punishment on Gaza's 1.6 million residents, and supporters abroad have mounted several attempts to break it by sea. | Palestinians describe the blockade as a collective punishment on Gaza's 1.6 million residents, and supporters abroad have mounted several attempts to break it by sea. |
| Nine Turkish activists were killed in May 2010 when Israeli naval commandos boarded their flotilla of six ships. | Nine Turkish activists were killed in May 2010 when Israeli naval commandos boarded their flotilla of six ships. |
| An inquiry into that incident commissioned by UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, found that Israel's Gaza blockade was legal but criticised the navy for using excessive force. | An inquiry into that incident commissioned by UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, found that Israel's Gaza blockade was legal but criticised the navy for using excessive force. |
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