The Israeli Navy is preparing to intercept a vessel sailing under the British flag and carrying prominent international activists, should it attempt to breach the maritime blockade on the Gaza Strip in the coming days.

The ship, Madleen, is part of the latest mission organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a pro-Palestinian group known for its anti-Israel stance. Among the 12 passengers are Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, Brazilian campaigner Thiago Ávila, Irish actor Liam Cunningham of Game of Thrones fame, and French-Palestinian European Parliament member Rima Hassan — who was previously barred from entering Israel over her support for boycotts and armed resistance.

Israeli defense officials confirmed Thursday that they are closely tracking the vessel’s route. The IDF said it is “enforcing the maritime security blockade on the Gaza Strip, and is prepared and ready for a wide range of scenarios that it will handle in accordance with the political echelon’s guidelines.”

The ship departed from Sicily on Sunday and was expected to reach the vicinity of Gaza over the weekend. However, the activists reportedly diverted course Thursday to assist a group of Sudanese migrants stranded off the Libyan coast. Israeli officials say that regardless of detours, the vessel will be stopped if it continues toward Gaza. Possible outcomes include towing the ship to Ashdod or blocking it at sea.

The mission has drawn the attention of several European governments. A French diplomat told Channel 12 that France is “closely monitoring” the situation due to the presence of six French nationals aboard and stands ready to intervene if needed. Meanwhile, a British official reportedly acknowledged that the UK government was initially unaware the vessel was sailing under its flag and has since asked Israel to ensure the safety of the ship and its passengers.

According to the report, Israel had requested that the UK prohibit the Madleen from using the British flag — a request that was denied due to maritime regulations.

The Freedom Flotilla’s previous attempt to reach Gaza ended after activists claimed their boat, the Conscience, was hit by a drone strike near Malta. That ship, registered under Palau, was stripped of its flag just before the alleged incident and was subsequently denied docking rights by multiple countries until Malta agreed to repair it.

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