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Israeli navy intercepts vessel trying to breach blockade of Gaza, redirects it to Israel port

Associated Press
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An Israeli naval battle ship sails in the Mediterranean sea back to Ashdod port in Israel, Monday, June 29, 2015. Israel’s navy intercepted a vessel attempting to breach a naval blockade of Gaza early Monday and was redirecting it to an Israeli port, the military and the activists said. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) (The Associated Press)

An Israeli naval battle ship sails in Mediterranean sea back to Ashdod port in Israel, Monday, June 29, 2015. Israel's navy intercepted a vessel attempting to breach a naval blockade of Gaza early Monday and was redirecting it to an Israeli port, the military and the activists said.(AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) (The Associated Press)

An Israeli naval battle ship sails in Mediterranean sea back to Ashdod port in Israel, Monday, June 29, 2015. Israel's navy intercepted a vessel attempting to breach a naval blockade of Gaza early Monday and was redirecting it to an Israeli port, the military and the activists said. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) (The Associated Press)

The Israeli military says it has intercepted a vessel attempting to breach a naval blockade of Gaza and is peacefully redirecting it to an Israeli port.

The military says the government ordered it to block the vessel early Monday. Naval forces visited the ship and searched it in international waters. It said no force was necessary. The ship was carrying about 20 activists, including an Israeli Arab lawmaker and a former Tunisian president.

A 2010 raid against a Gaza-bound flotilla killed nine pro-Palestinian activists.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel's naval blockade of Gaza is intended to block arms from reaching Islamic militants in the coastal strip and is in accordance with international law. He said the attempt to breach it is "nothing but a demonstration of hypocrisy and lies."