The fleet said on its Instagram account that it had reached "the area where previous flotillas were intercepted or attacked," adding that it had entered a "high-risk zone" and was on "high alert," with Israeli drone activity escalating above it.
International organizations, including Amnesty International, warned against any attack on the flotilla, while the United Nations stressed that targeting it would be "unacceptable."
Meanwhile, the official Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that more than 50 ships participating in the flotilla approached the Gaza coast, indicating that Israel was preparing to intercept them.
Earlier today, the fleet revealed increased drone activity over the fleet as it approached its destination. In a Telegram post, it said, "We have now entered the high-risk zone, an area where previous fleets have been attacked or intercepted."
Early Wednesday morning, the fleet announced a lowered alert level, saying it "does not anticipate a potential interception of the fleet tonight." Later, the fleet announced that unidentified vessels had approached a number of its boats, some of which had turned off their lights.
He added, "The participants implemented security protocols in preparation for an interception operation, and the ships left the vicinity of the fleet," announcing a return to a state of alert.
For days, ships participating in the flotilla have been sailing toward Gaza, carrying humanitarian aid. The Steadfastness Flotilla includes the Freedom Flotilla Union, the Global Gaza Movement, the Steadfastness Flotilla, and the Malaysian organization "Sumud Nusantara."
This is the first time that dozens of ships have sailed together toward the Gaza Strip, 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.
