Gaza aid flotilla now 463 nautical miles from destination, organizers say

A Gaza-bound aid flotilla is now 463 nautical miles away from the Israel-blockaded enclave, organizers said on Saturday.

The Global Sumud Flotilla said its ships have resumed their journey after a brief stop to address mechanical issues, stating the flotilla is expected to arrive in four to seven days.

“In two days, the flotilla will enter the high-risk zone, where global vigilance and solidarity are most needed,” it added in a statement on the US social media company X.

The International Committee for Breaking the Siege on Gaza said early Saturday that another flotilla of 10 civilian ships set sail from the port of San Giovanni Li Cuti in the Sicilian city of Catania, carrying around 70 activists from more than 20 countries, in cooperation with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. Participants include nine elected parliamentarians from Europe and the US.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, made up of about 50 ships, set sail earlier this month to break Israel’s blockade and deliver humanitarian aid, particularly medical supplies, to the Gaza Strip.

Since March 2, Israel has fully closed Gaza’s crossings, blocking food and aid convoys and deepening famine conditions in the enclave. Only limited supplies are sporadically allowed in, and many are looted by armed groups that Gaza authorities accuse Israel of protecting.

Israel, as the occupying power, has a record of intercepting ships headed to Gaza, seizing vessels and deporting activists. Critics describe such actions as piracy.

The Israeli army has killed nearly 66,000 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.