AN ISRAELI warship attempted to intimidate unarmed civilians sailing towards Gaza with humanitarian aid early this morning, the activist group behind the effort said.

“One of our lead vessels, Alma, was aggressively circled by an Israeli warship for several
minutes,” the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) said in a press release today.

“During the incident, on board communications, including our closed circuit broadcasts, were remotely disabled and the naval vessel steered dangerously close, forcing the captain to take a sharp evasive manoeuvre to prevent a frontal collision.

“Shortly after, the same naval vessel targeted Sirius, repeating similar harassing manoeuvres for an extended period of time before finally departing.”

GSF said the Israeli vessel put their non-violent mission at risk. But the group, made up of close to 500 people, vowed to continue sailing on to Gaza in its 42 ships — sailing under the flags of Britain, Italy, France, Spain, Poland, Portugal, the Netherlands, Algeria and Tunisia.

The GSF ships were about 118 nautical miles from Gaza today — just 8NM away from where the crew of a similar mission, aboard the Madleen, was intercepted and taken to Israel by its soldiers in July.

At an online press conference GSF held this morning, UN special rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese expressed her admiration for GSF’s activists.

“Israel is obliged to immediately cease and desist from all threats of arms against the Global Sumud Flotilla,” Ms Albanese said. “And ensure that it carries out its mission to deliver humanitarian aid to the civilians in Gaza without obstruction.”

The aid the flotilla is carrying just a drop in the ocean of what Gaza needs, she said. “But [has] the courage to enforce international law, while all other actors responsible for enforcing it are sitting idle — and even helping Israel enforce the blockade,” she said.

Meanwhile in Gaza, Israel killed at least 16 people today in strikes across the strip, including a school sheltering displaced people, a site where people can find drinking water and Nuseirat refugee camp.

Hamas had yet to respond today to the latest US-Israeli ultimatum, which would see Israeli troops surround Gaza while an international force occupies it, and could also see former British prime minister Tony Blair oversee its administration and reconstruction.

Israel warned anyone who remains in Gaza City will be "considered terrorists and terror supporters."

Defence minister Israel Katz said that this is the "last opportunity" for people to leave and people who remain will face the IDF's "ongoing operations at full force."