Israel Mocks 'Freedom Flotilla' to Gaza, Says It 'Got Lost'

A Swedish ship bound for the Gaza Strip carrying 18 pro-Palestinian activists and humanitarian aid was seized by Israeli forces early Monday morning.

Those on board the MV Marianne, part of Freedom Flotilla III — which departed from Greece on Saturday to protest and break through the maritime blockade near the Gaza Strip — included politicians, such as a former president of Tunisia, as well as activists and journalists from around the world.

Israeli military officials boarded the vessel and assumed control of it after the captain refused their requests to change course, according to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces. It adds the interception was "uneventful" and did not require the use of force.

Freedom Flotilla organizers who were not on the ship tweeted Monday afternoon that the MV Marianne had arrived at Ashdod Port, and that all sailors were in "good health," although they claim one of them was tasered by Israeli authorities.

"Once again, the Israeli government and its military has acted like state pirates and attacked our boat in international waters," Petros Stergiou, a spokesperson for the flotilla, told Al Jazeera. Stergiou said the group lost contact with the ship around 2 am local time Monday as three military vessels advanced toward it.

Contact with Marianne's Freedom Sailors in Ashdod - taser used during capture by IDF against at least one crew member. — Freedom Flotilla (@GazaFFlotilla)June 29, 2015

Much to Israel's dismay, many aid groups have tried to reach the Gaza strip by sea to deliver supplies and protest the Israeli blockade and embargo on supplies to Gaza, which activists say violates international human rights.

Israel imposed the blockade after Hamas gained more power from the Palestinian Authority in 2007.

The Freedom Flotilla III's latest attempt to break the blockade prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office to release an indignant letter to those on board.

"Welcome to Israel," it reads. "You seem to have gotten lost. Perhaps you meant to sail to a place not far from here — Syria, where Assad's army is slaughtering its people every day, and is supported by the murderous Iranian regime…you are welcome to transfer any humanitarian supplies for the Gaza Strip through Israel." He reportedly gave copies of the letter to military officials so they could distribute them by hand to those on board.

In 2010, Israeli troops stormed the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish ship which was part of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, and opened fire on the passengers on deck, killing nine of them. Hundreds of other passengers were arrested.

The government of Israel apologized in 2013 for its "operational mistakes" during that raid, and a compensation deal between Israel and Turkey is still in the works.

Kevin Neish, a Canadian activist from British Columbia who was on board the Marianne — and was arrested on the Mavi Marmara in 2010 — had prepared to be arrested by Israeli forces before arriving in Gaza, his friend and colleague Zoe Blunt told VICE News.

A month earlier, Neish and others had sailed from port to port across Europe picking up solar panels and medical supplies to deliver to groups in Gaza, and new crew members to help with the journey.

Blunt says she received a phone call early Monday morning from the captain's wife in Stockholm who said she had lost contact with her husband. Blunt says Neish and others on board have been arrested.

Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed to VICE News in an email that Canadian citizens have been detained by Israeli authorities and they are in contact with local authorities.

Swedish and Canadian foreign ministries told VICE News their consular officials are on standby if their citizens need them.

"I expect they will release these aid workers soon," Blunt said. "Kevin has been doing this work his whole life and I'm sure he'll continue this as long as he's on his feet. I don't see him stopping that anytime soon."

"No doubt those on board will continue to advocate for justice for Gaza even after this."

Follow Rachel Browne on Twitter: @rp_browne