Gaza flotilla with UvA student intercepted by Israel
A flotilla of dozens of ships had been en route to Gaza over the past few weeks in an attempt to deliver humanitarian aid, but has now been intercepted by the Israeli navy. Among those on board was 21-year-old UvA student Jesse van Schaik.
A flotilla en route to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid has been intercepted off the coast of Crete by the Israeli military. According to the organisation, seven vessels have been boarded, and contact with eleven other boats has been lost. The 21-year-old UvA student Jesse van Schaik is on board one of the 31 boats that have not yet been boarded by the Israeli navy.
The flotilla, consisting of around a thousand volunteers from 45 different countries, departed from the port of Barcelona on 12 April bound for Gaza, with the aim of breaking the Israeli blockade. In an earlier interview with Folia, Van Schaik already said they were taking into account the possibility of interception: “We regularly train on what to do if we are intercepted and how to position ourselves in the boat when soldiers come on board.”
The history student’s vessel is now, together with the remaining part of the flotilla, stationary off the coast of Crete, awaiting safer weather conditions. “We will not be stopped by Israel. If they think they can deter us with such an illegitimate action, they are mistaken,” Van Schaik told NOS.
