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Global Sumud Flotilla

Israel's navy has directed a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza to divert its path, as activists state that the ships have been stopped.

An international activist coalition posted on social media that several its ships had been entered by "military personnel" after being intercepted by Israeli naval units and that it was attempting to verify the status of those on board.

Israel's Foreign Ministry stated that the naval forces had told the convoy to alter course as it was "entering an active war zone". Israel has so far not officially stated that it has taken over any vessels.

The Israeli government has earlier said it would not allow the flotilla to arrive at its intended location. A previous effort saw participants apprehended by Israeli forces and transported to land.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry claimed the convoy had been informed it was "disregarding a legitimate naval blockade" that covers the sea area adjacent to the Gaza Strip—however it is unknown if the boats had entered the blockade zone.

Organizers said multiple vessels, among them the Alma, as well as the Surius and the a third boat, had been boarded.

Before that, it alleged the Israel's armed forces of "deliberately disrupting vessel communication systems, in an attempt to jam emergency communications and interrupt the livestream of their illegal boat interception".

Several ship live cameras are still livestreaming and depict activists aboard the vessels.

It added that the flotilla was 70 nautical miles from Gaza's shoreline.

The organizers expressed hope it aimed for its vessels would reach on the Gaza coast on Thursday morning.

France's top diplomat Jean-Noal Barrot additionally confirmed the Global Sumud flotilla was being stopped.

He said in a official communication that the French government had made certain "so that any potential boarding operation would be conducted under the best possible security conditions".

The Italian top diplomat announced he had been reassured by Israeli officials that its military would would not employ aggression against the five hundred activists aboard, including Italian politicians and Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg.

The Italian official said: "The interception was coordinated, we are discussing about it... with Israeli officials so that there would be no violent actions on the part of the Tel Aviv armed forces, and this has been guaranteed to me."

Israel has already halted a couple of missions by activists to transport aid by ship to the Gaza Strip, in June and July.

Previously, Italian authorities and Greece called on Israel to ensure the safety and security of the activists and stated they were closely observing developments.