The Israeli army stormed the Hanthala ship and took its passengers to an unknown destination.

The Israeli military stormed the "Hanthala" ship, which was heading to Gaza to break the blockade. The ship declared a state of emergency after Israeli boats and drones were spotted nearby.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement that "the air force stopped the ship that attempted to illegally enter the maritime area off the coast of Gaza. It is safely heading towards the Israeli coast, and all passengers are safe."

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition announced that the Israeli military attacked the ship while it was sailing in international waters. The fate of the activists on board and the destination to which they will be transferred remain unknown.

According to the Freedom Flotilla, the ship was carrying 21 activists representing 12 countries, including parliamentarians, lawyers, journalists, labor organizations, and environmental activists.

Activists on board the ship reported that Israeli naval forces were approaching them. Earlier, Israeli reports indicated that the army was preparing to seize the ship tonight.

The International Committee for Breaking the Siege on Gaza said earlier Saturday evening that the "Handala" ship was continuing its advance toward the Gaza Strip, and was now only about 70 miles from its shores, amid fears that it would be intercepted by the Israeli navy.

The committee explained that the ship, belonging to the naval coalition, heading to Gaza to break the Israeli blockade, is the closest ship to Gaza in years.

She stated that the ship exceeded the distances traveled by previous ships, such as the "Mavi Marmara," which was 72 miles away before being intercepted by Israel in 2010, the "Madeleine," which reached a distance of 110 miles, and the "Damir," which was 1,050 miles away.

The committee added that the ship was estimated to have an 8-hour journey time to reach the anchorage area.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition is broadcasting the ship's movements live on its YouTube account, sharing real-time radar images.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition announced earlier that drones were seen hovering over the Hanthala ship, which set sail from the Italian coast in a new attempt to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip.

In another post on the same Telegram channel, French MP Gabrielle Katla said they are "prepared for any potential intervention that may occur in the coming hours or tomorrow morning."

"We're all united, we're in solidarity and we're prepared. Drones are starting to head towards us. If the internet goes out, strange things could happen," she added.

She added: "Don't worry about us. Think about the Palestinians. They are suffering. What they are being subjected to in the shadow of the horrific genocide is far worse than the dangers we face on this ship."

On Thursday, the coalition announced in a post on Telegram that contact had been lost with the Hanthala and that there were multiple drones near the ship, adding, "This means it may have been intercepted or attacked."

On Friday morning, the coalition announced that contact had been restored with the ship after a two-hour hiatus, and that it was continuing its mission. It is now approximately 349 nautical miles from Gaza.

On July 13, the Hanthala set sail from the Italian port of Syracuse, before docking at Gallipoli on July 15 to overcome some technical issues. It then set sail again on July 20, carrying 21 activists on board.

It's worth noting that the Gaza blockade-breaking ship, "Al-Dameer," was attacked by an Israeli drone on May 2nd while attempting to sail toward Gaza, causing a hole in its hull and a fire in its bow.

On June 9, the Israeli occupation forces seized the "Madeleine" ship, part of the "Freedom Flotilla," in international waters while en route to the besieged Gaza Strip to deliver humanitarian aid. The ship was arrested along with 12 international activists on board. Israel later deported the activists on condition that they pledge not to return.

Famine has recently worsened in the Gaza Strip, with circulating photos and videos showing Palestinians there looking like skeletons from extreme hunger, as well as nausea, fatigue, and loss of consciousness.

On Tuesday, the World Food Programme warned that a third of Gaza's Palestinians have not eaten for several days due to the ongoing Israeli blockade of the Strip.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been waging a genocidal war in Gaza, including killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, ignoring all international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt it.

The US-backed genocide left more than 203,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 9,000 missing, in addition to hundreds of thousands of displaced persons and a famine that claimed the lives of many.