JERUSALEM, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on Sunday said he had ordered the military to prevent an aid ship, the Madleen, from reaching the Gaza Strip.

The vessel, part of the international Freedom Flotilla Coalition, is carrying activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, and humanitarian supplies. Organizers said the ship was in international waters off the coast of Egypt and expected to approach Gaza's coastline later in the day.

"The flotilla is led by a gang of antisemitic and anti-Israel Hamas propagandists, and they will not reach the coast of Gaza," Katz said in a statement, directly addressing the activists. "Turn back now."

He instructed the Israeli Navy to intercept the vessel and "take any necessary measures" to stop it, asserting that Israel would not permit any violation of the maritime blockade, which he said is aimed at preventing weapons from reaching Hamas.

The current voyage comes approximately one month after another of the coalition's ships, the Conscience, reported being damaged by a drone attack in international waters near Malta.

Israel has imposed a strict blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, when the Islamist group Hamas took control of the territory. The measures were significantly tightened after Hamas' deadly assault on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The war, now in its 21st month, has precipitated a severe humanitarian crisis.

United Nations agencies and humanitarian groups have repeatedly warned of imminent famine in the densely populated territory of 2.3 million people. The UN says the entire population is facing life-threatening food insecurity. ■