The Israeli Broadcasting Authority (official) reported that "more than 50 ships from the flotilla have entered Israel's interception range, and the flotilla's operators say it is approximately 150 miles from the Gaza Strip." It explained that "the Israeli Navy continues its preparations to seize the ships at sea."
Regarding the potential interception, the Authority stated: "Due to the large number of ships, preparations are underway to transfer the operators (participating) to a large warship and tow the ships to the port of Ashdod, with the possibility that some of them will sink at sea." It emphasized that "Israel will not allow the flotilla to enter the Gaza Strip under any circumstances, in accordance with the directives of the political leadership."
International calls for its protection
For its part, the United Nations called on Tuesday for the protection of the "Global Steadfastness Flotilla," which is heading to Gaza to break the Israeli blockade and deliver humanitarian aid, and to ensure that it is not subjected to Israeli attack.
This came in a written response from Marta Hurtado Gomez, spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, to a question about whether the UN could intervene if the flotilla were attacked by Israel, particularly given activists' warnings of a heightened risk of being targeted today or tomorrow, despite its inclusion of activists of various nationalities.
"Any attack on the flotilla is unacceptable," Gomez stressed, adding, "People seeking to deliver humanitarian aid and rescue and support hundreds of thousands of hungry and thirsty people in Gaza should not be attacked, but protected."
Earlier on Tuesday, Amnesty International called for the protection of the Global Steadfastness Flotilla after it approached the Gaza Strip's shores, expressing concern over Israeli threats against it.
On Sunday, the official Israeli channel Kan reported that Israel was preparing to "take control" of the flotilla's ships.
The potential move would be a repeat of the scenario of the ships "Madeleine" and "Handala," which Israel hijacked in June and July.
For days, ships participating in the flotilla have been sailing towards Gaza, carrying humanitarian aid, particularly medical supplies, in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade.
The Steadfastness Flotilla includes the Freedom Flotilla Union, the Global Gaza Movement, the Steadfastness Flotilla, and the Malaysian Steadfastness Flotilla.
This is the first time that dozens of ships have sailed together toward Gaza, home to approximately 2.4 million Palestinians and under Israeli siege for nearly 18 years.
Israel has tightened its blockade since March 2, closing all crossings into Gaza and preventing any food, medicine, or humanitarian aid from entering the Strip. This has plunged the Strip into famine despite the backlog of aid trucks at its borders.
With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving 66,097 martyrs and 168,536 wounded, most of them children and women, and a famine that has claimed the lives of 453 Palestinians, including 150 children.
