Israeli warships then tried to penetrate the flotilla from multiple sides to disperse it, but that all ships maneuvered and stayed on course, he said, describing the interception attempts as a test of the flotilla’s resolve: “Even if you stop 47 vessels, the 48th will continue on to Gaza.”

Earlier in the day, a large warship was spotted near the Gaza-bound humanitarian aid flotilla as its organizers reported a state of high alert at sea.

Contact has been restored with the Alma ship after being lost for a short time, said an Al Jazeera correspondent on board the flotilla.

According to the correspondent, an Israeli vessel came within just five feet of the Alma, and jammed all of its communication systems, as well as its engine, rendering them inoperative.

He added that participants on board the Alma threw their phones into the sea in line with the established security protocols.