ANKARA/ISTANBUL

An aid ship bound for the Gaza Strip to break a months-long Israeli blockade is about 97 nautical miles (180 kilometers) off the territory’s coast, a European lawmaker said on Saturday.

The Handala, which departed from Italy, is carrying baby formula, food, and medicine under international maritime and humanitarian law. It carries 21 unarmed civilians, including lawmakers, medics, and volunteers.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organizes the voyage, is livestreaming the ship’s movements on its YouTube channel, including real-time radar images.

French Member of the European Parliament Emma Fourreau, who is aboard the vessel, posted on X that they are now less than 180 kilometers from Gaza.

“We just passed the point where the Madleen was stopped. Only one night remains. We will get there,” Fourreau wrote, calling for solidarity with the ship.

An Israeli Heron drone was seen flying over the Gaza-bound aid ship on Saturday, sparking heightened fears of a possible interception by Israeli forces.

Gabrielle Cathala, a French National Assembly member aboard the ship, described the situation as tense.

“Drones have begun to appear. If Wi-Fi is cut, strange things can happen. Do not worry about us. Think about the Palestinians.”

American activist Huwaida Arraf warned that the crew will go on a hunger strike if Israeli forces attack or prevent them from reaching Gaza.

In recent months, Israel has intercepted multiple Gaza-bound aid ships in international waters. In June, Israeli forces seized the Madleen, detaining 12 international activists, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and French Member of European Parliament Rima Hassan. A month earlier, the MV Conscience was attacked by drones near Malta.

Since March 2, Israel has backtracked on implementing a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal with Hamas and has kept Gaza’s crossings shut, leaving hundreds of aid trucks stranded at the borders.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 127 people have died of starvation since October 2023, including 85 children.

On Tuesday, the World Food Program warned that one-third of Gaza’s population had gone several days without eating due to the continued Israeli blockade.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing over 59,700 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.