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International Sumud Aid Fleet

Israel's naval command has directed a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid in the direction of Gaza to divert its route, while activists assert that the boats have been boarded.

The Global Sumud Flotilla announced on online platforms that several its ships had been entered by "military personnel" after being approached by Israeli ships and that it was striving to determine the situation of those on board.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry declared that the naval forces had warned the convoy to change direction as it was "entering an active military area". Israeli authorities has not yet verified that it has taken over any ships.

Israel has in the past declared it would would not let the flotilla to reach its destination. An earlier mission resulted in participants taken into custody by Israeli military and escorted to land.

Israel's government spokespeople asserted the convoy had been informed it was "violating a legal sea blockade" that applies to the waters adjacent to the Gaza Strip—though it is unclear if the vessels had crossed into the restricted area.

The Global Sumud Flotilla said several ships, including the one of the main vessels, as well as the and another ship and the a third boat, had been boarded.

Before that, it accused the Israeli armed forces of "purposely interfering with ship communications, in an attempt to block distress signals and stop the livestream of their illegal vessel boarding".

Several ship webcams are currently livestreaming and depict activists aboard the vessels.

It noted that the convoy was 70 nautical miles from the Gaza shoreline.

The Global Sumud Flotilla expressed hope it expected its vessels would dock on the Gaza's coast on Thursday morning.

French top diplomat the French official additionally stated the GSF flotilla was being stopped.

He said in a official communication that France had ensured "that any potential boarding operation would occur under the optimal safety conditions".

Italy's top diplomat said he had been given assurances by Israel that its armed forces would would not use violence against the 500 activists on board, including Italy's elected officials and Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.

Antonio Tajani said: "This boarding was coordinated, we are discussing about it... with Israeli officials so that there would be no forceful steps on the part of the Tel Aviv armed forces, and this has been guaranteed to me."

Israel has already halted two attempts by protesters to deliver aid by sea to the Gaza Strip, in June and the month of July.

Earlier, Italian authorities and Greece urged the Israeli government to ensure the security and security of the activists and stated they were actively observing developments.