Global Solidarity Aid Fleet
Israel's naval command has instructed a flotilla transporting humanitarian aid toward Gaza to change its path, while activists state that the ships have been stopped.
An international activist coalition shared on social media that several its vessels had been boarded by "naval troops" after being intercepted by Israeli ships and that it was attempting to verify the status of those aboard.
The Israeli government officials announced that the navy had told the convoy to change course as it was "nearing an ongoing combat zone". Israeli authorities has so far not officially stated that it has boarded any vessels.
Israel has in the past said it would not permit the aid mission to reach its intended location. A previous mission saw participants detained by Israeli military and escorted to shore.
The Israeli government spokespeople claimed the convoy had been informed it was "breaching a lawful maritime closure" that includes the waters adjacent to the Gaza Strip—however it is unclear if the vessels had entered the blockade area.
Organizers announced a number of vessels, among them the Alma, as well as the and another ship and the Adara, had been boarded.
Prior to that, it accused the Israeli military of "purposely damaging ship communication systems, in an attempt to jam distress signals and halt the livestream of their illegal boat boarding".
A number of ship webcams are still broadcasting live and display participants aboard the vessels.
It noted that the flotilla was 70 nautical miles from Gaza's shoreline.
The organizers said it aimed for its vessels would reach on the Gaza's coast on Thursday.
French Foreign Minister the French official additionally said the GSF flotilla was being boarded.
He declared in a statement that the French government had ensured "so that any possible boarding operation would occur under the optimal security circumstances".
The Italian foreign minister said he had been given assurances by Israeli officials that its armed forces would would not resort to aggression against the five hundred activists on board, including Italian elected officials and Swedish environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg.
Antonio Tajani stated: "The interception was anticipated, we are talking about it... with [Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon] Saar so that there would be no aggressive steps on the part of the Tel Aviv armed forces, and this has been promised to me."
Israel has already prevented a couple of attempts by activists to deliver aid by ship to Gaza, in June and July.
Earlier, Italy and Greek officials called on the Israeli government to guarantee the well-being and protection of the activists and said they were closely monitoring events.
