An international aid flotilla bound for Gaza said its boats were approached by unidentified vessels before dawn on Wednesday as it neared waters where Israel enforces a naval blockade on the Palestinian enclave.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, a coalition of more than 40 civilian boats carrying about 500 people, includes parliamentarians, lawyers, and activists such as Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.
Organisers said the flotilla was approaching the 120-nautical-mile mark, a zone where previous attempts to break Israel’s blockade have been intercepted.
In a statement, organisers accused one vessel, believed to be Israeli, of executing “dangerous manoeuvres” that disrupted the flotilla’s communications before departing.
Video posted on the group’s social media showed the silhouette of a military ship with a gun turret near the civilian boats, though the footage could not be independently verified. Israeli authorities did not immediately comment.
The incident follows a drone attack earlier this week in which stun grenades and itching powder were dropped on the flotilla, damaging some boats but causing no injuries.
Israel did not claim responsibility but has repeatedly vowed to prevent any vessel from breaching its blockade, which it says is necessary to restrict arms supplies to Hamas.
The flotilla has drawn international attention, prompting Italy and Spain to deploy naval vessels nearby to provide rescue or humanitarian assistance if needed, though both governments stressed they would not engage militarily.
A Spanish maritime rescue ship remains within range, while Italian authorities have said their navy will withdraw once the flotilla is within 150 nautical miles of Gaza. Turkish drones are also monitoring the voyage.
Israel, which has maintained the blockade since 2007, insists it is legal under international law, but critics argue it constitutes collective punishment against Gaza’s 2.3 million residents.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
