Flotilla carrying Gaza wounded breaks ‘unbearable’ siege

FE Team | Published: May 29, 2018 21:28:07

Fishing boats carrying a group of Palestinian activists, who are protesting and perhaps trying to breach Israel's naval blockade on Gaza, setting sail from Gaza City harbour — AFP

GAZA, May 29 (Al Jazeera): A flotilla carrying at least 25 patients, students and activists have broken Israel's imposed boundary off the coast of the Gaza Strip, the first time in more than a decade.
The group set sail on Tuesday morning from the besieged Gaza Strip, hoping to break Israel's debilitating siege on the enclave that has trapped more than two million Palestinians since 2006.
By midday, the boat had crossed nine nautical miles (16km), with four Israeli warships flanking the vessel.
"We're surrounded by Israeli warships to the left, the right, to our front and from behind. We're stuck in the middle," an activist on the flotilla told reporters.
"We're all safe and request your prayers."
Under the Oslo Accords signed in 1993, Israel is obligated to permit fishing up to 20 nautical miles, but this has never been implemented.
The widest range Israel has allowed in the past 10 years is 12 nautical miles (22km), and at times, the limit was reduced to one nautical mile.