Region | Palestinian Territories
Iran says Israel stops its aid ship to Gaza
An Iranian ship carrying aid to Gaza was stopped by Israel's navy off the coast of the Palestinian territory, Iran's state radio reported on Tuesday.
- Agencies
- Published: 17:53 January 13, 2009
Tehran: An Iranian ship carrying aid to Gaza was stopped by Israel's navy off the coast of the Palestinian territory, Iran's state radio reported on Tuesday.
Iran, which does not recognise Israel, has condemned the Jewish state for attacking Gaza and has criticised some Arabs for not doing enough and sent the ship to support Palestinians.
Israel has accused Iran of supplying arms to Hamas, the Islamist group which controls Gaza. Tehran says it gives moral, financial and humanitarian support.
"An Iranian ship that was carrying foodstuff and medicine was stopped by the Zionist regime's navy 20 miles off the coast of Gaza," radio reported, adding that the ship had left the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas 13 days earlier.
It said the ship was carrying 200 tonnes of foodstuff and medicine "for distribution among the blockaded people of Gaza."
Iran's Foreign Ministry said on Monday the ship had passed Port Said, the Egyptian port on the Mediterranean end of the Suez Canal and about 180 km west of the Gaza coast.
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