Flotilla activists say Gaza-bound ships still sailing, while UN warns humanitarian situation remains dire

Flotilla activists say Gaza-bound ships still sailing, while UN warns humanitarian situation remains dire Submitted by Katherine Hearst on Tue, 05/19/2026 - 11:38 UN agencies report that rodent and insect-linked skin infections and illness are spreading in overcrowded displacement camps in besieged Palestinian territory Palestinians at a house in the northern Gaza Strip that was hit by the Israeli military on 19 May (Reuters/Ebrahim Hajjaj) Off The organisers of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla say there are 10 ships still sailing towards the besieged enclave after Israeli forces intercepted 41 of its boats in international waters. The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) said the vessel closest to Gaza is some 145 nautical miles away. Israel's Foreign Ministry said on Monday that it “will not allow any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza” and called on the flotilla to “turn back immediately". On Monday, the flotilla organisers reported that Israeli troops encircled 38 of its ships - which were part of a fleet of 54 boats - as they were 250 nautical miles away from Gaza’s coast, detaining some 300 activists on board. GSF condemned the operation as “another illegal, high-seas aggression”, saying that Israel "continues to demonstrate a systematic disregard for international maritime law, freedom of navigation on the high seas, and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea".  The Australian government said it was "urgently seeking” confirmation of the welfare of 11 of its citizens - including doctors, students and academics -  who had been detained by Israeli forces. The latest operation came two weeks after Israeli forces intercepted 22 flotilla vessels off the co...

Original source: Middle East Eye