The aid ship Madleen has entered Egyptian waters en route to Gaza, despite Israeli warnings to prevent it from docking, the International Committee to End the Siege of Gaza announced today.
The committee, one of the organizers of the aid flotilla, said the ship had passed through Alexandria, northern Egypt, and would reach the city of Mansoura in a few hours on its way to Gaza.
“The coming hours will be the most critical,” it said in a statement.
Shortly after, the committee also issued a statement warning that Israel was trying to block the ship’s location and signal.
“It appears that Israel is jamming the location and signal of our colleagues on the ‘Madleen’ (ship). This is serious… We will keep you informed,” the statement added.
Yasemin Acar, an activist on the ‘Madleen’ flotilla, also confirmed that “the communication blackout has officially begun.”
“If you don’t hear from us in the next few hours, it means we are cut off from the world… Remember, we are doing this for Gaza,” Acar said.
There are 12 activists on board, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Irish actor Liam Cunningham.
Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is also on board, posted live photos on her X account.
Last week, Israeli state broadcaster KAN reported that Tel Aviv had reversed its initial decision to allow the ship to pass. The approval was withdrawn under the pretext of “setting a precedent” for future humanitarian missions.
According to organizers, the ship is carrying urgently needed supplies for the people of Gaza, including baby formula, flour, rice, diapers, feminine hygiene products, water desalination kits, medical supplies, crutches and children’s prosthetics.
Another ship operated by the Freedom Coalition, the Conscience, was targeted by drones off the coast of Malta on May 2.
Israel, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has been waging a devastating offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 54,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children. Aid agencies have warned of the risk of starvation among the enclave’s more than two million residents.
In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide charge before the International Court of Justice for war crimes against civilians in the enclave,
AA writes.
