ACTIVISTS sailing across the Mediterranean on a mission to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza attempted to divert a cargo ship “carrying raw materials to Israel” from its route today.  

The Global Sumud Flotilla activist group announced this afternoon that 13 of the roughly 70 boats that make up the fleet began “co-ordinating a disruption” of the MSC Maya, one of the largest container ships in the world.

According to ship tracking website Marine Traffic, the MSC Maya was southwest of the Italian island of Sicily and bound for Ashdod, Israel at the time of the announcement.

Video footage posted to social media by the group showed at least three sailing boats circulating the massive vessel.

“[Thirteen] Global Sumud Flotilla vessels are diverting the MSC Maya and disrupting the flow of raw materials bound for the genocidal war machine,” the activists said.

“It’s time for the free people of the world to bring the military complex to its knees.

“Under the Geneva Conventions, Genocide Convention and Arms Trade Treaty, states are required to halt arms transfers to Israel, an occupying entity that the UN has officially designated an illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territories since 1967.

“We refuse to stand by while international law is ignored.”

The current mission is the Global Sumud Flotilla’s second attempt to reach Gaza by sea.

Last year, the group’s first mission almost made it to Palestine’s Mediterranean waters, but the boats were intercepted by Israeli soldiers, and the activists, which included environmentalist Greta Thunberg and Amazon Labour Union organiser Chris Smalls, were taken to Israel jails for several days.

The Star has approached the ship’s operator, Mediterranean Shipping Company, for comment.