The Israeli army announced Tuesday that it seized a Palestinian vessel that attempted to break the 11-year siege on the coastal Gaza Strip enclave and head to Cyprus. The flotilla was carrying sick and injured Palestinians, who have been unable to travel abroad for medical treatment as a result of the blockade. "After the boat and the Palestinians on board are searched, the boat will be towed to the Israeli navy base in Ashdod," a statement by the Israeli military said. Four of these aboard were involved in the sailing of a first flotilla in May, the spokesperson noted, accusing the Hamas movement of trying to provoke the navy and exploit injured and disabled people. Gaza’s National Committee for Breaking the Siege held Israel responsible for the safety of ships passengers, captain and assistant and demanded their immediate release. It stressed that the sailing of the freedom ships is a message to the world that the suffering of the people in Gaza must end. The first flotilla set sail from Gaza on May 29, transporting Palestinian patients -- mostly those injured during the army’s crackdown on months-long rallies against Israeli occupation. That flotilla, which was composed of a main boat accompanied by smaller vessels, was swiftly intercepted and seized by the Israeli navy. The 17 Palestinian activists on board were taken into custody. “We announced plans to launch another flotilla… more than a month ago and won’t back down from the decision until we meet our objectives,” Bassam Manasra, a spokesman for Gaza’s National Committee for Breaking the Siege, said at a press conference in the coastal enclave. He went on to urge local and international officials to provide the flotilla and its Palestinian passengers with protection “against any possible Israeli violations”.