...

Israel intercepts Lebanese aid ship bound for Gaza

Other News Materials 5 February 2009 01:58 (UTC +04:00)

An Israeli gunboat late Wednesday intercepted a Lebanese ship carrying medical aid and other supplies bound for Gaza, the organizer of the Lebanese delivery said.

"The Brotherhood Ship was fired on by an Israeli military boat 20 miles (32 kilometres) off the coast of Gaza and they were asked to divert course," Maan Bashour told Deustche Presse-Agentur dpa.

It remains in the water near the coast of Gaza, he said.

Bashour said the aide ship was loaded with 50 tons of medical supplies, food, clothing and toys and left the port city of Tripoli in northern Lebanon early on Tuesday.

On board the vessile dubbed the Brotherhood Ship were nine people, including the former Greek-Catholic archbishop of Jerusalem, Monsignor Hilarion Capucci, Bashour said.

The trip was organized by the Palestinian National Committee Against the Siege, in cooperation with the US-based Free Gaza Movement.

Bashour called on Israel to take responsibility for the lives of the ship's passengers.

Latest

Latest