JERUSALEM (EJP)---The Israeli navy  boarded the Gaza-bound "Estelle" ship which sought to break Israel's maritime security blockade on the Gaza Strip, an army spokesperson confirmed.

The army said the soldiers seized control of the ship, which is carrying pro-Palestinian activists, in accordance with the government's decision and international law.

Diplomatic efforts to prevent the vessel from reaching Gaza's shore had failed.

The boarding took place only after the Israeli Navy had made multiple attempts to dissuade the ship's passengers from sailing to the Gaza Strip – both via direct contact and through diplomatic channels – but to no avail.

But despite numerous calls to the passengers onboard, they remained unwilling to cooperate with Israeli authorities and the decision was made to board the vessel and lead it to the southern port of Ashdod.

 « The Israeli Navy soldiers operated as planned and took every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of the passengers, » the army spokesperson said.

« After the boarding of the vessel by IDF soldiers, who did not use force, the passengers were attended to and offered food and beverages, » he added.

The army said that once the ship reaches Ashdod the passengers will be handed over to police and immigration authorities.

The ship, sailing under a Finnish flag, had set sail in June and has stopped at numerous European ports trying to drum up support and publicity.

He was carrying 30 activists from Europe, Canada and Israel, including five   European parliamentarians: Ricardo Sixto Iglesias from Spain, Sven Britton from Sweden, Aksel Hagen from Norway, and Vangelis Diamandopoulos and Dimitris Kodelas from Greece.

Earlier this week, Israel’s United Nations ambassador Ron Prosor wrote UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asking for international intervention to “stop the provocation” of the ship sailing to Gaza.