Global Sumud Flotilla spokesperson Saif Abukeshek has provided a “mission update” in a post on Instagram, confirming that Israeli forces have intercepted 13 boats at sea, Al Jazeera reports.

Abukeshek said there were more than 201 people from 37 countries on those boats, including 30 participants from Spain, 22 from Italy, 21 from Turkiye and 12 from Malaysia.

He said the group’s “mission is going on” despite the arrests, and vessels are continuing to sail “through the Mediterranean to break the siege on Gaza”.

“We have around 30 ships that are still fighting their way away from the military vessels of the occupation forces trying to reach to the shores of Gaza. They are determined. They are motivated, and they are doing everything within their hand to be able to break this [siege] by early morning and to arrive together,” he said.