Global General

Israel seizes new Gaza-bound aid ship

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-06-05 11:41

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GAZA - Israeli forces seized an Irish-owned ship bound for Gaza on Saturday, boarding the Rachel Corrie some 55 km (35 miles) out in the Mediterranean, a spokeswoman for the campaign group supporting the ship said.

It was unclear whether there was any violence, although those aboard had said in advance they would not resist.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said she had no information. Israel had said it would not let the ship through.

The vessel, named after an American pro-Palestinian activist killed in the Gaza Strip in 2003, was seized five days after a convoy of six was halted, including a Turkish ship on which 9 men were killed by Israeli commandos who stormed aboard.

Among those aboard the Rachel Corrie, campaigners said, were Nobel Peace Prize winner Mairead Maguire from Northern Ireland and Denis Halliday, an Irish former senior official at the the United Nations.