UPDATE - Israeli navy intercepts Global Sumud Flotilla as it approaches Gaza to break siege

UPDATES WITH DETAILS

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Global Sumud Flotilla announced Wednesday that live broadcasts were cut off from most of its ships as Israeli naval forces surrounded the vessels sailing toward Gaza to challenge a years-long blockade.

Organizers said the interception occurred as Israeli warships blocked communications and moved to halt the convoy.

No immediate details were available about possible detentions or the fate of the ships.

Israel has repeatedly warned the flotilla to turn back from its naval blockade of the Gaza Strip and change its course.

The flotilla, loaded mainly with humanitarian aid and medical supplies, set sail at the end of August and was expected to reach Gaza’s coast on Thursday morning under normal circumstances.

This marked the first time in years that more than 50 ships have sailed together toward Gaza, carrying 532 civilian supporters from over 45 countries to the enclave of 2.4 million Palestinians that has been under Israeli blockade for roughly 18 years.

Israel tightened the siege further on March 2 by closing all border crossings and blocking food, medicine, and aid, pushing Gaza into famine despite aid trucks piling up at its borders.

The Israeli army has killed over 66,100 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave uninhabitable and led to starvation and the spread of diseases.