The Foreign Ministry confirms that the Israeli Navy has taken over the Handala activist boat attempting to break Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, stressing that everyone on board is safe.

The Handala boat set sail from Sicily earlier this month, weeks after Israel intercepted a different vessel that had made a high-profile attempt to reach Gaza.

The boat will be towed to Ashdod Port by the Navy, and the activists will then be deported from the country