Israel intercepts ship trying to break Gaza blockade

Israel’s military says it has intercepted a ship carrying activists en route to Gaza in the latest attempt to break a blockade on the coastal territory.

It said the ship is being taken Sunday to an Israeli port.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said there are activists from 14 countries on the ship carrying medical aid for Gaza.

Israel and Egypt imposed a blockade on Gaza after the Islamic militant group Hamas took over the territory in 2007.

Israel says it is crucial to prevent Hamas, a group sworn to Israel’s destruction, from arming. Critics say it is collective punishment of Gaza’s 2 million people.

There have been several attempts to sail to Gaza in recent years, most notably in 2010 when Israeli naval commandos killed nine Turks in a raid at sea.