An international flotilla carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza is less than 400 nautical miles from the besieged enclave and is expected to arrive by September 30, organisers announced Sunday.
“Time moves and the flotilla moves with it — every minute takes Global Sumud Flotilla nearer to Gaza and the justice it deserves,” the coalition said in a statement on social media platform X, sharing a map that showed the remaining distance at 399 nautical miles.
Wael Naouar, spokesperson for the flotilla’s Maghreb fleet, said the ships could reach Gaza on September 30 or October 1, depending on weather conditions.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, comprising about 50 vessels, set sail earlier this month to break Israel’s naval blockade and deliver urgently needed medical supplies and other humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged territory.
Naval escorts and activists’ messages
According to activists on board, a Greek Navy vessel that had accompanied the flotilla in international waters has now departed, while Italian and Spanish naval ships continue to provide protection.
“The only thing between us and Gaza right now is the sea,” said Ross Ykema, an activist from the Netherlands, in a video message.
Since March 2, Israel has fully sealed Gaza’s crossings, blocking food and aid convoys, exacerbating famine conditions in the enclave. Limited supplies occasionally allowed in are often looted by armed groups that Gaza authorities accuse Israel of shielding.
Israel, which has a record of intercepting ships bound for Gaza, has previously seized aid vessels and deported activists — actions widely condemned by critics as acts of piracy.
According to Gaza’s health authorities, more than 66,000 Palestinians — the majority women and children — have been killed in Israeli strikes since October 2023. The devastation has left the enclave largely uninhabitable, with starvation and disease spreading among its population.
