Israeli officials are reportedly preparing to seize another aid flotilla heading to Gaza, amid fears of potential clashes with activists on board, Israeli media said.
Channel 13 reported that the Israeli army and intelligence agencies are on heightened alert and preparing for an attack against the flotilla, which set sail from Italy and is carrying dozens of activists.
Intelligence sources told the broadcaster that the expected confrontation could prove "more complicated" than last week’s assault, in which Israeli forces seized the Global Sumud Flotilla that included Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.
Flotilla approaching Gaza
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which organised the latest mission, said its nine-boat convoy is now 150 nautical miles (277 kilometres) from Gaza’s coast.
"Our flotilla is now within 150 nautical miles of Gaza’s coast, nearing the zone where earlier Freedom Flotilla Coalition and Global Sumud Flotilla missions faced attacks from Israel," the coalition said in a statement on its Telegram channel.
The convoy, known as the "Thousand Madleens" mission, carries around 100 people and aims to deliver humanitarian aid and challenge Israel’s 18-year blockade of Gaza.
The FFC, established in 2010, has launched dozens of missions to deliver supplies and draw attention to what it calls the "illegal Israeli siege" on the enclave.
Last week, Israeli naval forces attacked and seized more than 40 boats heading to Gaza, detaining over 470 activists from more than 50 countries.
Activists in detention
Israel’s legal centre Adalah said six foreign activists from that flotilla remain in Israeli detention, including citizens of Norway, Morocco, and Spain.
The group said it had petitioned authorities for access to the detainees and demanded their immediate release.
Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza, home to nearly 2.4 million people, since 2007, and further tightened blockade in March when it closed border crossings and prevented food and medical supplies from entering in its ongoing genocide.
