Flotilla activist alleges Israeli jamming as Gaza-bound ship nears land

Brazilian on board claims navigation was spoofed to Jordan; IDF vows to stop ship from reaching Gaza.

By David Brummer, World Israel News

A Brazilian activist aboard the Madleen, a vessel attempting to breach Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, claimed Sunday that Israel has begun jamming the ship’s navigation and communications systems, according to Israel National News.

Thiago Ávila, a participant in the far-left-led maritime mission, said in a video message that the boat’s tracking system showed its location as Jordan’s capital instead of the eastern Mediterranean, where the ship was believed to be approximately 162 nautical miles from the Gaza Strip.

“We know what that means,” Ávila said. “When they start jamming our communications, when they start messing with our devices, it means they are preparing for an interception or an attack.”

He further alleged that Israeli naval commando unit Shayetet 13 is preparing to board or block the vessel.

Ávila urged international pressure to deter Israeli action and called on supporters to share the video to “save this humanitarian aid, this mission, and ourselves.”

He also claimed that in recent days, drones had buzzed the ship and were initially thought to be Israeli.

It was later confirmed that the unmanned aerial vehicles—which were mysteriously not filmed—belonged to the Hellenic Navy, which has been monitoring the flotilla’s progress.

The Madleen is expected to reach the vicinity of Gaza as early as Monday.

The flotilla includes left-wing and pro-Palestinian activists, among them so-called climate activist Greta Thunberg.

Organizers say the goal is to deliver humanitarian aid to the territory, although the amount of produce the boat is carrying is little more than a token.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Sunday that he has instructed the IDF to block the ship’s entry by any necessary means, reiterating that the naval blockade is aimed at preventing weapons from reaching Hamas.

“Israel will not allow anyone to violate the naval blockade on Gaza, which is primarily aimed at preventing the transfer of weapons to Hamas — a murderous terrorist organization that is holding our hostages and committing war crimes,” Katz stated.

In a direct message to the flotilla participants, he added: “To Greta the antisemite and her Hamas propaganda-spouting friends, I say clearly: turn around—you will not reach Gaza.”