Israel has transferred a group of international activists to Ashdod Port after intercepting the Gaza-bound aid vessel Handala in international waters late Saturday, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said in a statement on Sunday.

The coalition described the interception as an “illegal abduction,” stating that the civilian crew aboard the Handala had been taken by Israeli naval forces while attempting to break the blockade on the Gaza Strip.

According to the statement, legal representatives from the Israeli human rights organization Adalah are currently awaiting permission to meet with the detained activists at the port, though Israeli authorities have yet to grant access.

The Israeli navy boarded the vessel on Saturday evening as it sailed toward Gaza, carrying international solidarity activists and humanitarian supplies aimed at challenging the long-standing Israeli blockade on the coastal enclave.