The coalition said in a statement posted on its Telegram channel that it had "detected 16 drones in the last 45 minutes," some of which were flying over the ship.
In another post on the same Telegram channel, French MP Gabrielle Katla said they are "prepared for any potential intervention that may occur in the coming hours or tomorrow morning," adding: "We are all united, we are in solidarity and we are ready. Drones have started heading towards us. If the internet is cut off, strange things could happen."
She continued: "Don't worry about us. Think about the Palestinians. They are suffering. What they are being subjected to in the shadow of the horrific genocide is far worse than the dangers we face on this ship."
The coalition announced last Thursday that it had lost contact with the Hanthala ship, noting that there were several drones near the vessel, adding that "this means it may have been intercepted or attacked."
On Friday morning, the coalition reported that contact had been restored with the ship after a two-hour hiatus, and that it was continuing its mission. It is now approximately 349 nautical miles from Gaza.
On July 13, the Hanthala set sail from the Italian port of Syracuse, before docking at Gallipoli on the 15th to overcome some technical issues. It then set sail again on July 20, heading for Gaza, carrying 21 activists.
It's worth noting that the Gaza blockade-busting ship, Al-Dameer, was attacked by an Israeli drone on May 2nd while attempting to sail toward Gaza, causing a hole in its hull and a fire in its bow.
On June 9, the Israeli occupation forces seized the "Madeleine" ship, part of the "Freedom Flotilla," in international waters while en route to the besieged Gaza Strip to deliver humanitarian aid. The ship was arrested along with 12 international activists on board. Israel later deported the activists on condition that they pledge not to return.
Famine has recently worsened in the Gaza Strip, with circulating photos and videos showing Palestinians there looking like skeletons from extreme hunger, as well as nausea, fatigue, and loss of consciousness.
Earlier, the World Food Programme warned that a third of Gaza's Palestinians have not eaten for several days due to the ongoing Israeli blockade of the Strip.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been waging a war of genocide in Gaza, including killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, ignoring all international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt it.
The genocide, with American support, left more than 203,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 9,000 missing, in addition to hundreds of thousands of displaced persons and a famine that claimed the lives of many.
