A humanitarian aid vessel carrying 12 activists is now sailing along Egypt’s coast en route to the besieged Gaza Strip, according to organizers from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.

The ship, Madleen, departed Sicily last week loaded with essential relief supplies intended for Palestinians in Gaza. The mission’s goal, as stated by the coalition, is to "break Israel’s blockade on Gaza," which has been in place since before the 2023 outbreak of war.

“We are now sailing off the Egyptian coast,” German human rights activist Yasemin Acar told Agence France-Presse (AFP), confirming the passengers are in good condition.

In a Saturday statement from London, the International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza confirmed that the vessel had entered Egyptian waters. The group said it is coordinating closely with international legal and human rights organizations to protect those on board, warning that any attempt to intercept the ship would be “a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.”

European Parliament member Rima Hassan, also among the passengers, appealed to world leaders to “guarantee safe passage for the Freedom Flotilla.”

"Israel" has previously responded with force to similar maritime efforts. In 2010, a raid by "Israeli" commandos on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, which was part of a previous aid flotilla, left 10 civilians dead. More recently in May, another ship from the coalition, the Conscience, reportedly came under drone fire, prompting emergency interventions by Malta and Cyprus.

Earlier in its current voyage, Madleen temporarily diverted course near Crete to respond to a distress call from a migrant boat. Activists aboard rescued four Sudanese migrants who had jumped overboard in an attempt to avoid being pushed back to Libya. The rescued individuals were later transferred to an EU Frontex ship.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which began its efforts in 2010, represents a network of civil society groups demanding an end to the humanitarian blockade of Gaza. "Israel" imposed the latest round of severe restrictions on March 2, only partially easing them since, despite mounting international condemnation.

The United Nations has warned that Gaza’s entire population of over two million is facing the threat of famine as humanitarian access remains tightly restricted.

Source: Roya News.