Zürcher Nachrichten - Gaza aid flotilla says Israeli warships intercepting boats

The Global Sumud Flotilla -- around 45 vessels carrying activists and politicians including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg -- left Spain last month aiming to break Israel's blockade of the Palestinian territory, where the UN says famine has set in.

"The warships are moving in to intercept the flotilla -- only 81 nautical miles remain to Gaza," said the Maghreb contingent of the Global Sumud Flotilla in a statement.

French politician Marie Mesmeur and Franco-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan also reported that their boats were being intercepted.

The French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot posted on X that Israeli authorities were "currently boarding" the flotilla.

Earlier, the Israeli navy warned the flotilla against entering waters under its blockade.

"The Israeli Navy has reached out to the... flotilla and asked them to change course," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"Israel has informed the flotilla that it is approaching an active combat zone and violating a lawful naval blockade."

Spain and Italy, which both sent naval escorts, had urged the ships to halt before entering Israel's declared exclusion zone off Gaza.

After a 10-day stop in Tunisia, where organisers reported two drone attacks, the flotilla resumed its journey on September 15.

One of its main ships, the Alma, was "aggressively circled by an Israeli warship", the group said, before another vessel, the Sirius, was subjected to "similar harassing manoeuvres".

-'Stop now'-

The flotilla had earlier vowed to press on with its bid to deliver aid to the devastated coastal territory despite what it called "intimidation" tactics by the Israeli military.

It said on X it remained "vigilant as we enter the area where the previous flotillas were intercepted and/or attacked".

Israel blocked similar attempts in June and July.

At around 1500 GMT on Wednesday, the flotilla said it was less than 90 nautical miles (about 170 kilometres) from the Gaza Strip.

"We sail on undeterred by Israeli threats and tactics of intimidation," said the flotilla, which is also carrying Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla Mandela and Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian European Parliament member.

Spain's digital transformation minister, Oscar Lopez, had urged the flotilla not to cross into Israel's declared exclusion zone, extending 150 nautical miles off Gaza.

"Our message to the flotilla has been clear: do not enter that zone," he told Spanish public television, adding that Spain's naval escort would not cross into the exclusion area.

Italy, too, urged the activists to "stop now" after its frigate also halted at the 150-nautical-mile limit, broadcasting radio messages to the activists' vessels asking them to abandon their mission.

The activists said Spain and Italy's decision was an attempt to "sabotage" their endeavours.

South Africa called for "utmost restraint and caution against any unilateral actions that could escalate the situation or endanger human life".

It said the "safety, security, and physical integrity of all unarmed participants aboard the flotilla, including South African citizens, are of paramount importance".

In a joint statement, Italy and Greece appealed to Israeli authorities to "guarantee the safety and integrity of the flotilla's participants".

Rome and Athens also urged the flotilla to "refrain from any initiative that could be exploited by those who still reject peace".

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the activists "do not represent a danger or a threat to Israel", and hoped that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin "Netanyahu's government will not represent a threat to this flotilla either".

Speaking ahead of a European Council meeting Wednesday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called on the activists to halt their voyage, saying it could jeopardise US President Donald Trump's latest proposed Gaza peace plan, currently still under negotiation.

"In the face of a historic opportunity, I cannot understand the insistence on an initiative that carries elements of danger and irresponsibility," she said.

U.Ammann--NZN