Gaza-bound flotilla pushes forward after failed Israeli interception attempt

GAZA (MNTV) – Organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla said Wednesday that Israeli warships failed in multiple attempts to block vessels delivering aid to Gaza, with the fleet continuing its journey despite heavy pressure at sea.

Wael Naouar, spokesperson for the flotilla’s Maghreb branch, said Israeli forces first tried to stop the lead ship Alma, but other vessels bypassed it and moved on.

A similar attempt to block another lead vessel, Sirius, also collapsed as the flotilla regrouped and pressed forward.

“Even if you stop 47 vessels, the 48th will continue on to Gaza,” Naouar said.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent on board reported that an Israeli vessel came within five feet of the Alma, jamming its communications and disabling its engine.

Contact was briefly lost before the ship rejoined the convoy once the Israeli warship withdrew.

In line with security protocols, participants threw their phones into the sea to prevent data interception.

The organizers said Israeli forces also tried to surround the fleet from multiple sides but were unable to break it apart.

The convoy is now about 121 nautical miles from Gaza.

The flotilla, comprising dozens of ships, is attempting to defy Israel’s 17-year blockade on Gaza.

The effort comes as the enclave reels under relentless bombardment.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed more than 66,000 Palestinians—most of them women and children—while starvation and disease spread through the besieged territory.