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A convoy of ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza has reached waters less than 90 nautical miles from the blockaded territory, organizers said Wednesday, as participants reported overnight intimidation by Israeli naval forces.
The Global Sumud Flotilla entered what organizers described as a "high-risk zone" and surpassed the point where Israeli forces previously intercepted the Madleen aid ship. All participants aboard the vessels remained safe as of Wednesday afternoon.
"After a night of intimidation tactics by the Israeli military, we can confirm that our flotilla participants remained calm and followed all appropriate safety procedures," organizers said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
The flotilla, loaded primarily with humanitarian aid and medical supplies, departed in late August and is expected to reach Gaza's coast Thursday morning under normal sailing conditions. Organizers said they would continue despite what they characterized as Israeli threats.
"We sail on undeterred by Israeli threats and tactics of intimidation," the statement said, urging supporters to pressure governments for protection of the activists. The group directed followers to monitor vessel movements via tracker and live stream.
The convoy marks the first time in years that dozens of ships have sailed together toward Gaza, home to approximately 2.4 million Palestinians. The coastal enclave has been under Israeli blockade for roughly 18 years.
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Israel tightened the siege on March 2 by closing all border crossings and blocking food, medicine and aid, according to the flotilla organizers. They said the restrictions have pushed Gaza into famine despite aid trucks accumulating at its borders.
The Israeli army has killed over 66,100 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023, according to organizers. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave uninhabitable and led to starvation and the spread of diseases.
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