Gaza flotilla says it entered high-risk zone near Israel

GAZA: The international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza said on Wednesday that it has entered the high-risk zone near the destination, and several of its boats were approached by unidentified vessels, some navigating without lights.

The Global Sumud Flotilla said in a post on Telegram that the vessels have departed, and participants implemented security protocols in anticipation of a possible interception.

“We have now entered the high-risk zone, the area where previous flotillas have been attacked and/or intercepted,” the Global Sumud Flotilla wrote on its Telegram channel. “We are on high-alert”.

Meanwhile, Italy said it would stop tracking an international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza with a military vessel, leaving activists vulnerable to Israeli forces.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, consisting of more than 40 civilian boats with over 500 people including parliamentarians, lawyers and Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, aims to break Israel’s blockade of the Palestinian enclave.

Read More: Italy to end support for Gaza flotilla as Israeli action looms

Once the convoy gets within 150 nautical miles (278 km) of Gaza’s shoreline, the Italian frigate accompanying it will stop, the Italian defence ministry said in a statement, adding that it expected it to happen at around 0000 GMT.

ITALY SUGGESTS COMPROMISE, FLOTILLA REFUSES

Italy has urged flotilla members to accept a compromise proposal to drop aid in a Cyprus port and avoid a confrontation with Israeli forces. Flotilla representatives have repeatedly refused the offer.

“We say again: the flotilla sails onwards. The Italian navy will not derail this mission. The humanitarian demand to break the blockade cannot be walked back to port,” the Global Sumud Flotilla said in a statement.