Breaking News Update:

The Libyan ship is sailing toward El Arish port in Egypt. it is about 5 miles away from docking. The 2000 tons of goods of and medicines will be passed  to Gaza through Rafah checkpoint.

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UPDATE:

The Libyan ship is now about 5 miles from El- Arish port in Egypt. It turned it’s radio off, and not answering any calls from Egyptian or Israeli authorities. Israeli Navy Ships are monitoring the situation outside the Egyptian waters, making sure it will not sail to Gaza, and break the blockade.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Wednesday urged the activists aboard a Libyan-sponsored aid ship not to let their cargo ship be diverted from Gaza’s shore and called in a speech for more pro-Palestinian “freedom flotillas.” “The sea and land convoys must continue. We hope we can depend on Islamic nations to help us lift the blockade,” Haniyeh said, referring to a three-year siege imposed on the Gaza Strip by Israel.

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UPDATE:

Libyan ship resumed sailing to El-Arish Port in Egypt, after  crew has fixed a technical problem that caused them to stop mid-way. they are about 50 miles away from Egyptian waters, and are excepted to arrive to the port in the evening.

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Israeli navy ships are still monitoring the Libyan ship, making sure it will not change its course, and break the naval blockade on Gaza.

According to Israeli military officials: The captain of the Libyan-sponsored Gaza-bound aid ship told Israel Navy officials that he plans to sail to the Egyptian port of El-Arish and not attempt to break the maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Speaking with Israeli authorities by radio, the captain of the Al-Amal assured them that he is in charge of the vessel and that the activists aboard will obey his orders. One of the activists’ leaders, a Libyan national, also said that, despite the group’s desire to sail to Gaza, it will accept their captain’s decision.

The Israeli Navy will continue to track the ship, making sure it will not break the maritime blockade on Gaza.

The ship, carrying 15 pro-Palestinian activists and 12 crew members and 2,000 tons of food and medicine, left Greece on Saturday afternoon, was commissioned by the Gadhafi International Charity and Development Foundation, headed by Saif Al-Islam Gadhafi, second son of Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi.