A Libyan ship sent by the Gadhafi foundation, headed by the son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, to break Israel's naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, today changed its course in the Mediterranean Sea in order to avoid a potential showdown with the Israeli forces.
The ship is now heading for an Egyptian port and Egypt's state news agency MENA reported that Egyptian authorities were "making preparations" to receive the boat, which is heading toward the port city of el-Arish.
The ship, named Almathea, was still in international waters and could not be contacted for confirmation. Meanwhile, the Hamas government in Gaza has urged the Libyan ship to move towards Gaza. Speaking at a ceremony, senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh called the Libyan ship "our moving hope in the Mediterranean Sea. Beware not to fall into the trap and stop in a port other than Gaza," he said.
Israeli military officials said that the ship's captain informed them that he was steering the ship towards Egyptian port, but the port's chief, Gamal Abdel Maqsoud, refused to confirm the claim. A spokesman for the Libyan mission said that it is likely that the ship would arrive in Gaza, but said those aboard would not resist the Israeli navy from stopping them to reach Gaza. "First and foremost, we want to arrive in Gaza. If this is impossible, we don't want to subject anyone to danger," Youssef Sawani, an official with the Gadhafi International Charity and Development Foundation. The foundation was in contact with the boat.
