Gaza: The Global Sumud Flotilla is less than 80 nautical miles (148 kilometers) away from the Israel-blockaded Gaza Strip, organizers said on Wednesday. "We are a few hours away from Gaza to break the (Israeli) blockade, and deliver humanitarian aid to our people in the Strip," Mohammed Qutaish, a Palestinian Dutch activist aboard the flotilla, said in a video statement. "The Global Sumud Flotilla is less than 80 nautical miles (148 kilometers) away from Gaza," he said.

According to Anadolu Agency, organizers earlier stated that the convoy was navigating a high-risk area near Gaza's coast. They reported that the flotilla's vessels had surpassed the point where the Madleen aid ship was previously intercepted by Israeli naval forces, emphasizing that all participants remain safe. The organizers noted, "After a night of intimidation tactics by the Israeli military, we can confirm that our flotilla participants remained calm and followed all appropriate safety procedures."

The flotilla continues its journey undeterred by threats and intimidation tactics, urging supporters to press their governments to protect the activists and to monitor the flotilla's progress via tracker and live stream. Loaded primarily with humanitarian aid and medical supplies, the flotilla departed at the end of August and is expected to reach Gaza's coast by Thursday morning under normal circumstances.

This voyage marks the first time in years that dozens of ships have sailed together toward Gaza, a territory home to about 2.4 million Palestinians and under Israeli blockade for approximately 18 years. Israel intensified the siege further on March 2 by closing all border crossings and obstructing food, medicine, and aid, pushing Gaza into famine despite aid trucks accumulating at its borders.

The Israeli army has reportedly killed over 66,100 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The ongoing bombardment has made the enclave uninhabitable, leading to starvation and the spread of diseases.