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International Solidarity Aid Fleet

The Israeli navy has instructed a flotilla transporting supplies to the Gaza Strip to divert its path, as organizers state that the boats have been intercepted.

An international activist coalition posted on online platforms that some its ships had been boarded by "naval troops" after being confronted by Israeli naval units and that it was striving to determine the status of those on board.

The Israeli government officials declared that the naval forces had instructed the flotilla to change direction as it was "nearing an active combat zone". Israel has not yet verified that it has taken over any ships.

The Israeli government has in the past said it would would not let the aid mission to arrive at its intended location. A previous attempt saw activists taken into custody by Israeli forces and escorted to land.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry asserted the convoy had been notified it was "breaching a legitimate sea blockade" that includes the waters off the coast of the Gaza Strip—although it is not certain if the boats had entered the blockade zone.

The Global Sumud Flotilla reported a number of vessels, including the Alma, as well as the Surius and the a third boat, had been stopped.

Before that, it claimed the Israeli armed forces of "deliberately damaging vessel communication systems, in an effort to jam emergency communications and stop the livestream of their unauthorized boat boarding".

Multiple ship live cameras are currently broadcasting live and show activists aboard the vessels.

It noted that the convoy was 70 nautical miles from the Gaza coast.

The organizers stated it hoped its ships would dock on the Gaza's shoreline on Thursday morning.

France's Foreign Minister the French official also said the GSF aid mission was being intercepted.

He said in a statement that the French government had ensured "that any potential interception action would occur under the optimal security conditions".

The Italian top diplomat said he had been reassured by Israeli officials that its military would not use violence against the five hundred activists on board, including Italian elected officials and Swedish environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg.

The Italian official stated: "This boarding was anticipated, we are discussing about it... with Israeli officials so that there would be no violent steps on the part of the Israeli armed forces, and this has been assured to me."

Israeli forces has previously halted a couple of efforts by protesters to transport aid by sea to the Gaza Strip, in June and July.

Earlier, Italy and Greece called on Israel to ensure the security and security of the participants and said they were actively watching the situation.