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Sailing for Gaza, Israeli naval vessels surrounded Freedom Flotilla II boat Dignite al Karama in international waters.
Blocking the small yacht were "three battle ships and seven commando boats of different sizes (with) at least 150 soldiers", according to Haaretz journalist Amira Hass on board.
Carrying 13 activists, including herself, and three crew members, it pressed on. Israel threatened to attack.
Around mid-morning on July 19, Israeli Radio (Reshet Bet) said naval forces controlled the boat with no clashes, and that it would be towed to the Israeli port of Ashdod.
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Aharonoth said IDF chief Benny Gantz ordered naval forces to take over the vessel, "after the activists refused to alter the route of the ship to Ashdod." Prior to intercepting it, it was heading toward "an area that is under a maritime siege."
Activists were told to choose between (interrogations and) deportation or imprisonment. Earlier, Flotilla spokesperson Thomas Sommer-Houdeville said the boat carried a message of peace, hope and solidarity with besieged Gazans.
Hass said its "participants regard themselves as representatives of the entire (blocked Flotilla), and are determined to exhaust all possibilities (to) reach (Gaza), or at least carry out the symbolic act of protesting the blockade."
They understand the risks but took them anyway, challenging Israeli viciousness unarmed in peace.
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