Free Gaza Boats Enter ‘The Gaza Triangle’

From Angela Godfrey-Goldstein @ FreeGaza.com-

The two, Free Gaza Movement boats, SS Liberty and SS Free Gaza, are now sailing with damaged navigation systems. As such, they are in jeopardy of drifting off course and out of international waters.

In addition they have encountering rough seas, with waves over 3 metre’s high.  Many of the older passengers on board are suffering from serious sea sickness. For some of them these conditions could pose life-threatening health risks.

Their navigation systems have been damaged and as such they are in jeopardy of drifting unknowingly out of international waters.

We request that all individuals and organisations make representation to the government of Israel and the Israeli navy to protect the lives of the civilians aboard the two ships, SS Liberty and SS Free Gaza which are sailing under the Greek flag.

The last communication with the two boats Liberty and Free Gaza was-

(10am, 23 August, 2008 ) At 10am this morning, the Cyprus team of the Free Gaza Movement was able to briefly speak with our people on board the SS Free Gaza and SS Liberty. They are all fine, and they asked us to release the following statement:

“The electronic systems which guarantee our safety aboard the SS Free Gaza and SS Liberty have been jammed and scrambled. Both ships are flying Greek flags, and are in international waters. We are the victims of electronic piracy. We are currently in GMS P area A2 and we are relying on our satellite communications equipment to make a distress call, if needed. We are civilians from 17 nations and are on this project to break the siege of Gaza. We are not experienced sailors. As a result, there is concern about the health and safety of the people on board such an emergency develop. We are currently experiencing rough sea conditions, and we call on the Greek government and the international community to meet their responsibilities and protect the civilians on board our two ships in international waters.”

Their last position via their site and through google maps was {click to enlarge}-

The thing is if the Navy can say they entered Israeli waters (which with ‘compromised’ navigation is very possible) they have the excuse to intercept them and avoid the issue of their unofficial blockade of Gaza, cunning. Via comments I found Marian Houk’s blog and she adds round ups of AP report & Haaretz-

UPDATE: a scrolling Haaretz headline at 12:12 Jerusalem time says that AP has reported that “Organizers of Gaza boat protest say they have lost contact with the vessels” — but it’s probably based on the same information reported by Free Gaza, as shown above.
UPDATE: Another AP story published now on the Haaretz website says that a Free Gaza spokesperson had said that she expected the vessels to reach Gaza at around 11 a.m. Jerusalem time — which would have been an hour and a half ago. [Jerusalem is +2 GMT and +1 daylight saving -so 2 hours ahead of UK as we also are in +1 hour DST, it's now past 15.30 in Jerusalem]

Nothing comes through the video stream (though that could be just my connection or other vagaries of the interwebs).

xinhuanet sez-

International campaigners, who are sailing into Gaza to break the Israeli blockade, are not far from “the Palestinian territorial waters,” Palestinian sources said on Saturday.

“The ships will be on Gaza shores during the few coming hours,” said Jamal al-Khodary, an independent Palestinian parliamentarian leading a lobby against the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip.

The small wooden boats have carried about 40 international peace and human rights activist from Free Gaza Movements and medical supplies for children.

Israel, which controls Gaza’s air, water and border, threatened to prevent the boats from entering the Gaza territorial waters.

Al-Khodary said the Israeli disturbances have broke the internet connection and communication for several hours between the boats and the officials in Gaza who will receive the voyage.

“The boats carry a humanitarian message against the harsh siege that has been imposed on Gaza since more than a year ago,” al-Khodary said.

Thirteen Palestinian boats have left Gaza fishing port Friday morning to welcome the ships. Palestinian journalists, lawmakers and human rights activists were aboard.

AP (boo hiss) sez-

“We are following the development and if they are looking for a provocation, we will know how to avoid it,” said Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Arye Mekel.

Mekel said he did not know of any Israel attempt to jam the boats’ communications.
In Gaza City’s small fishing port, activists, reporters and a musical band from a local scout group loaded onto a dozen small boats heading off to greet the vessels. Some onlookers waved banners and Palestinian flags.

Around 30 Gaza residents who had loaded into boats later returned to shore, complaining of sea sickness. By midafternoon, just one boat remained in the water.

Hamas policemen controlled traffic in and out of the port. Youths leaped off high rocks into deep water nearby. Two large tents were set up for people to watch the scene.

“I brought the kids so if they (the activists) arrive, I can tell them welcome — and thank you for not forgetting us,” said Jamila Hassan, a 42-year-old Gaza resident who brought along her 14-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter to the port.