Gaza, MINA – More than 20 Israeli naval vessels were reported approaching the Global Sumud Flotilla on Wednesday evening, as the international convoy carrying humanitarian aid moved closer to the besieged Gaza Strip, according to organizers, Anadolu Agency reported.
The International Committee to Break the Siege of Gaza said the Israeli boats appeared to be preparing to impose a naval blockade on the flotilla.
Despite the maneuvers, activists aboard the convoy said they remained committed to their mission.
“We are a few hours away from Gaza to break the blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to our people in the Strip,” said Mohammed Qutaish, a Palestinian Dutch activist, in a video statement.
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The flotilla, carrying humanitarian and medical supplies, is now less than 80 nautical miles (148 kilometers) from Gaza. Organizers confirmed that participants stayed calm and followed safety procedures after a night of intimidation tactics by Israeli forces.
“We sail on undeterred by Israeli threats and tactics of intimidation,” the organizers said, urging international supporters to pressure their governments for protection and to monitor the flotilla’s progress via live tracking.
The convoy, which set sail at the end of August, marks the first time in years that dozens of ships have sailed together toward Gaza, home to 2.4 million Palestinians under an Israeli blockade for nearly 18 years.
Israel further tightened the siege on March 2 by closing border crossings and halting the entry of food, medicine, and aid, worsening famine conditions. Since October 2023, more than 66,100 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed in Gaza as relentless Israeli bombardments render the enclave uninhabitable. []
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