ASHDOD, Israel — Israel on Thursday said a flotilla of activist aid boats bound for Gaza was a "cheap political stunt" as it unveiled a port facility where it intends to divert the boats and detain those on board.
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists hope to arrive in Gaza over the weekend aboard nine ships loaded with 10,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid and building materials in a bid to highlight Israel's closure of Gaza's borders.
"They call themselves human rights activists, but they remain silent when it comes to Hamas's deliberate targeting of Israeli civilians and the brutalities of the Hamas regime in Gaza," government spokesman Mark Regev said.
"If they were really interested in the wellbeing of the people of Gaza, they would have accepted the offer of Egypt or Israel to transfer humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, along with the other 15,000 tonnes sent every week. Instead they have chosen a cheap political stunt".
Israel has vowed to divert the ships to its southern port of Ashdod, where it will detain the activists before deporting them. It then plans to inspect the aid shipment before transporting it to Gaza by land.
