The Flotilla Freedom Coalition claimed that Israeli troops intercepted and boarded the boat in international waters, while video footage purportedly showed the activists with their hands up as several armed soldiers took control of the ship, according to a report published by the BBC.

Israel is seeking to deport pro-Palestinian activists who were detained and brought to shore when their Gaza-bound boat was intercepted by the navy, a legal aid centre advising them said on Sunday.

The ship’s interception comes as Israel faces mounting international criticism over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, with concern growing over rising hunger in the territory