The Israeli Navy intercepted the Norwegian boat “Kårstein” during a naval operation on the 29th of July, 2018.
The boat had no significant humanitarian component. Its sole intention was to create a political provocation by violating the legal measures imposed by Israel. The ship was monitored and intercepted in accordance with international law. The Israeli Navy clarified to the ship’s passengers that they were violating a legal measure, and that any humanitarian aid can be transferred to Gaza through the Port of Ashdod in coordination with international organizations or donor countries, including Norway.
The activity ended without exceptional events.
The maritime blockade is legal under international law and its enforcement in international waters is also legal. The legality of the maritime blockade has been repeatedly confirmed, including by the UN Secretary-General's Panel of Inquiry on the 31 May 2010 Flotilla Incident. The UN has recognized that Israel has legitimate security concerns and Israel’s implementation of the maritime blockade as a legal tool complies with all the requirements of international law. The blockade prevents the smuggling of weapons into Gaza, which is ruled by the internationally recognized terrorist organization Hamas since 2007, which attacks Israeli civilians on a regular basis.
The Gaza Strip is not under siege. Under normal circumstances - i.e. when Hamas is not attacking Israel from the Gaza strip - all types of goods enter Gaza every day in vast quantities, via Israel through land crossing. This includes approximately 200 trucks carrying humanitarian aid that enter the Gaza Strip daily through the Kerem Shalom land crossing.
The flotilla is merely a tool in the incitement campaign against Israel. In fact, the organizers have stopped at a number of stations in Europe and attempted at every site to organize demonstrations against Israel.
The flotilla will not help the residents of Gaza; it will only embolden the terrorist rulers of Gaza.
The flotilla's organizers choose to ignore the gross human rights abuses by Hamas in Gaza, as well as the atrocities taking place in many countries in the region, and focus instead their attention on a democratic country exercising its right of self-defense against deadly terrorist attacks.