Global aid flotilla 399 nautical miles away from Gaza, expected to reach on Sept. 30

An international aid flotilla is less than 399 nautical miles away from the Gaza Strip, and is expected to reach the enclave on Sept. 30, organizers said on Sunday.

“Time moves and flotilla moves with it — every minute takes Global Sumud Flotilla nearer to Gaza and the justice it deserves,” the coalition said in a statement on the US social media company X.

It shared a map showing the vessels’ route to Gaza, noting that there are only 399 nautical miles left to reach the blockaded territory.

According to Wael Naouar, a spokesperson for the flotilla’s Maghreb fleet, the boats are expected to reach Gaza on Sept. 30 or Oct. 1. There might be delays depending on the weather conditions, he added.

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

According to a video shared by a Turkish activist onboard, a Greek Navy vessel has returned after accompanying the flotilla in international waters, as Italian and Spanish navies continue to provide protection for the activists on board.

“The only thing between us and Gaza right now is the sea,” Ross Ykema, an activist from the Netherlands, said in a video statement.

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 over 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.