Türkiye has joined Spain, Italy and Greece in monitoring an international flotilla carrying aid for Gaza that was sailing east across the Mediterranean Sea on Monday despite warnings from Israel to stop the mission, flight data show.
Flight tracking websites showed that three long-endurance drones originating from Türkiye's Corlu airbase have been circling over the flotilla for three days, highlighting the growing international interest in the boats which have vowed to breach an Israeli naval blockade around the embattled Gaza Strip.
Reuters was unable to confirm the reason for the drone flights. Türkiye's foreign and defence ministries and the intelligence agency did not respond to requests for comment.
Flotilla resumes journey after repairs
The Global Sumud Flotilla, consisting of civilian boats carrying parliamentarians, lawyers and activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, was still hundreds of miles off the Gaza coastline on Monday. But it was approaching an area where other flotillas have previously been intercepted, people on board said. Tracking sites showed about 40 boats.
Its advance has raised international tensions, especially after a drone attack last week damaged some boats. No one was injured, but the flotilla had to pause for several days in Greek waters for repairs before setting sail again for Gaza over the weekend. Organisers said on Monday that the mission was now expected to reach Gaza in about four days.
Italy and Spain have deployed navy ships to accompany the flotilla in case of rescue or humanitarian needs, but have said they will not engage militarily. Greece's coastguard had also monitored progress while the flotilla was in its rescue area.
Italy warned on Sunday that the flotilla was nearing a high-risk zone and repeated a proposal made last week for it to take the aid to Cyprus for eventual distribution in Gaza by the Roman Catholic Church.
The flotilla rejected the idea.
Concerns over possible Israeli response
"Israel has shown several times it has no red lines so it is clear that we are worried by what it could do. We will obviously do everything to have a peaceful, non-violent stance," Italian European Parliament member, Benedetta Scuderi, told Italy's Radio 24 on Monday from on board the flotilla.
Israel did not comment on last week's drone incident but has previously said it will use any means to prevent the boats from reaching Gaza, arguing that its naval blockade is legal as it battles Hamas militants in the coastal enclave.
Italy's La Stampa newspaper reported that Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Sunday had assured the Italian ambassador to Israel that Israel would "not use lethal force" against the flotilla members.
Reuters was not immediately able to confirm that message.
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As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meeting in New York, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Thursday with ballistic missiles, killing two people and injuring six, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New York on Wednesday, as Washington pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine and Kyiv and Moscow continue to strike energy infrastructure.
U.S. President Donald Trump is addressing the UN General Assembly as world leaders gather in New York for the 81st session. Conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, global security and diplomacy set to dominate the event.
U.S. President Donald Trump said his team held a three-hour meeting with an Iranian delegation in New York that he described as “very good” and “productive”, with another round of talks scheduled soon.
The 81st UN General Assembly continues in New York on Wednesday, with another day of high-level speeches and diplomatic meetings. The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, global security and international cooperation remain at the centre of discussions.
As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meeting in New York, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Thursday with ballistic missiles, killing two people and injuring six, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
The 81st UN General Assembly returns for its third day in New York on Thursday, with world leaders delivering high-level speeches and holding diplomatic meetings. Restoring trust, managing global transformation, peace and security, and international cooperation remain at the centre of discussions.
Australia says an OpenAI AI agent gained unauthorised access to a government Medicare statistics portal in June, in what officials say could be an unprecedented case of an AI system breaching a government network.
Pakistan says it carried out air strikes on 10 locations in Afghanistan on Thursday, targeting sites it said were used to store and launch drones, as tensions between the two neighbouring countries continued to escalate.
Here’s your AnewZ Daily Brief for 24 September 2026, with five key developments from the second day of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
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