GALLIPOLI, ITALY - JULY 20: The crew greeting from Handala vessel after a press point, the vessel 'Handala' of Freedom Flotilla Coalition departed from Gallipoli Port, in Italy, on 20 July 2025, to reach Gaza for delivering humanitarian aid and breaking the Israeli blockade. (Photo by Valeria Ferraro/Anadolu via Getty Images)
A boat carrying humanitarian activists, including two Australians, has been intercepted by the Israeli Navy while attempting to deliver aid to Gaza. This incident, confirmed by Israel’s foreign ministry, involves the vessel known as Handala, which was stopped approximately 40 nautical miles from the Gaza coast.
According to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the crew of Handala is currently being held in what they describe as “unlawful” detention. The group claims that the vessel was transporting 21 activists, including Australian journalist Tan Safi and activist Robert Martin, when it was intercepted in international waters. The location of the interception has not been independently verified by SBS News.
The scene was broadcast live on social media, where the activists appeared to raise their hands as soldiers boarded the boat, after which the livestream abruptly ended. A spokesperson from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) confirmed the presence of the two Australians on board the vessel, stating, “Our officials in Tel Aviv are liaising with authorities, and consular officers stand ready to offer assistance to affected Australians.”
The Handala had set sail from Malmö, Sweden, with the goal of breaching the Israeli naval blockade to deliver essential supplies, including baby formula, diapers, food, and medicine, to the besieged Palestinian territory. In response to the interception, the Israeli foreign ministry stated that the navy acted to prevent the vessel from “illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza.” They insisted that all passengers were safe and that the vessel was being escorted to Israeli shores.
In a pre-interception social media post, Martin emphasized the group’s non-violent mission, saying, “We are a non-violent movement, we are delivering aid. To the world, if something happens, we were trying to shine a light on what’s happening in Palestine and in particular, Gaza.”
This incident follows a previous event on June 9, 2023, when another Freedom Flotilla vessel, the Madleen, was intercepted by the Israeli military in international waters and subsequently towed to the port of Ashdod. That vessel carried twelve campaigners, including prominent climate activist Greta Thunberg, all of whom were expelled from Israel shortly thereafter.
The interception of the Handala brings to mind a more tragic episode from 2010, when nine activists aboard the flotilla Mavi Marmara were killed by Israeli soldiers during a similar mission, highlighting the ongoing tensions surrounding humanitarian efforts in the region.
As this situation continues to unfold, the international community is closely monitoring developments, particularly regarding the treatment of the activists and the implications for humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza.
