Gaza – Saba:
Activists aboard the ship Handala, part of the Freedom Flotilla, reported on Saturday evening that drones and two unidentified boats were approaching the vessel as it heads toward the blockaded Gaza Strip.
The activists stated that an emergency alert had been activated aboard the ship in anticipation of any possible action by Israeli forces.
Earlier in the day, the International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza said that Handala continued advancing toward Gaza and was just 70 nautical miles away from its shores—raising concerns that it could be intercepted by the Israeli navy.
The committee noted that Handala is the closest a ship has come to Gaza in years. It also stated that the vessel has already surpassed the distances covered by previous ships, such as the Mavi Marmara—which was 72 miles out before being intercepted by Israel in 2010—Marianne (110 miles), and al-Zaytouna-Oliva (1,050 miles).
The committee added that Handala is now only hours away from potentially reaching the anchoring zone, with an estimated arrival around 4:30 a.m. Gaza time (01:30 GMT), if not intercepted.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition has been livestreaming the ship’s movements via its YouTube channel, including real-time radar images.
French parliamentarian Gabrielle Cattel, who is on board the Handala, said in a Telegram post that they were "prepared for any possible intervention in the coming hours or by morning."
She added: "We are united, we stand in solidarity, and we are ready. Drones have started approaching us. If the internet is cut off, strange things may happen."
Cattel continued: "Don’t worry about us—think of the Palestinians. They are suffering. What they are enduring under this horrific genocide is far worse than the risks we face on this ship."
Meanwhile, Freedom Flotilla Steering Committee member and activist Huwaida Arraf told Al Jazeera that the Israeli authorities had sent indirect messages through foreign governments stating their intention to intercept and block the ship from reaching Gaza.
Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom quoted military sources saying that the Israeli army is preparing for various scenarios to deal with Handala, based on political directives.
According to a correspondent for Israel’s Public Broadcasting Corporation, Handala has passed the area where the Israeli military intercepted the ship Marianne last month. The reporter confirmed that "Israel will not allow the ship to reach Gaza."
This comes as Gaza hospitals continue to receive rising numbers of children suffering from malnutrition and famine. Some 900,000 children in Gaza face hunger, with 70,000 already experiencing acute malnutrition.
The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) previously warned that malnutrition among children under the age of five had doubled between March and June, as a result of the Israeli blockade on Gaza.
With U.S. and European backing, Israeli forces have been committing acts of genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, resulting in the killing of 59,733 Palestinian civilians—mostly women and children—and the injury of 144,477 others. Thousands remain trapped under rubble or in streets where emergency teams are unable to reach them.
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