Israel said on Saturday diplomatic efforts have likely prevented a Libyan aid ship from trying to reach the Gaza Strip. "Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman spoke several times in recent days with the foreign ministers of Greece and Moldova and reached understandings with them about dealing with the Libyan ship," a ministry statement said.
"The foreign ministry believes that due to these talks, the ship will not reach Gaza," the statement added, according to AFP.
A charity headed by Seif al-Islam Kadhafi, the son of Libyan leader Moamar Kadhafi, said on Friday it was sending an aid boat from Greece to Gaza.
Agents for the Moldova-flagged cargo ship Amalthea said the ship was expected to set sail from Lavrio, some 60 kilometres southeast of Athens. Israeli officials said that Moldovan authorities had made contact with the captain of the ship who agreed to divert the cargo to the Egyptian port of El-Arish.
Meanwhile Israeli media on Saturday reported that Israel had asked the United Nations to stop the Libyan ship.
