Blast damages 'Gaza's Ark' before it can sail

An explosion has badly damaged a boat that was expected to sail from Gaza Europe-bound within days as part of efforts to break an eight-year Israeli blockade on the Palestinian coastal enclave.

"It's premature to blame Israel or other parties for the explosion," Gaza Interior Ministry spokesman Iyad al-Bazum told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday.

The blast has severely damaged the boat, known as Gaza's Ark.

The boat was expected to set sail to Europe within days with a host of Palestinian and foreign activists on board as part of efforts to break a crippling siege imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip since 2006.

When asked when they hope to set sail now Ehab Lotayef from the Gaza's Ark Steering Committee told the Middle East Eye that "The ship was being readied to put to sea in June. Whether and when the boat can be repaired is still being investigated." He confirmed that the voyage was still due to take place "as soon as we are ready."

There was no immediate Israeli comment on the claim.

"Gaza's Ark and all our partners in the Freedom Flotilla Coalition are considering our next move in response to this cowardly act of terrorism," David Heap of Gaza's Ark Steering Committee, said in a statement.
"But our position remains clear: Neither this nor any other attack will stop our efforts to challenge the blockade of Gaza until it ends," he added.

Meanwhile, Ehab Lotayef, another member of the Steering Committee, said that "this attack comes as we were almost ready to sail. You can sink a boat but you can't sink a movement."