Israel warns Greta Thunberg as she prepares to sail flotilla to Gaza

Greta Thunberg made an emotional plea before setting sail for Gaza (Image: Getty)

Israel has threatened to stop Greta Thunberg's "freedom flotilla" from delivering aid to Gaza. The Swedish climate activist set sail for the enclave along with 11 pro-Palestinian campaigners on Sunday. The boat Madleen set sail from Catania in Sicily and is carrying a "symbolic" amount of aid.

The vessel is operated by the activist group Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The group have posted videos to TikTok which show the young activists smiling and swimming as the boat makes its way across the Mediterranean.

The Madleen set sail from Sicily on Sunday (Image: Instagram)

However, Israel's army has warned it is ready to raid the boat, as it has already done on previous occasions when the freedom flotilla tried to deliver aid.

IDF spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said: "For this case as well, we are prepared.

"We have gained experience in recent years, and we will act accordingly."

Two drones were reported to have attacked a separate Freedom Flotilla ship in May, while sailing in international waters off the coast of Malta.

And now there are concerns that Thunberg's group are in similar danger after one of the activists posted an alert.

The shipmate claimed the boat was being tailed by a drone and urged social media users to "share our location".

In the video clip, the activists said: "We can clearly see a drone to our left. It's gaining on us a little bit. Please share this alert."

He then added: "Please share our location, I'll send you the exact coordinates."

Thunberg made an emotional statement before departing Sicily for Gaza, urging the world not to give up on Palestinians in Gaza.

She said: "We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying. Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity."