Israeli Naval forces have intercepted a ship leading a four-vessel protest flotilla taking aid for Gaza in defiance of the Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory.<br /><br /> An Israeli military statement said the action came after all diplomatic channels were exhausted.<br /><br /> It said there was no violence when troops boarded and searched the Marianne of Gothenburg in international waters, before escorting it towards Israel’s southern port of Ashdod.<br /><br /> A euronews source on board says three other vessels have turned back.<br /><br /> Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated the military, saying the ship was involved in a “demonstration of hypocrisy”.<br /><br /> The fishing trawler left the Greek island of Crete on Friday with a few dozen Europeans including politicians among the activists on board.<br /><br /> The flotilla was carrying humanitarian aid including medicines and solar panels to Gaza. <br /><br /> It was the latest in a series of protest voyages across the Mediterranean.<br /><br /> One journey turned deadly in 20
