Israeli troops have boarded an aid ship being sailed towards Gaza by the activist group Freedom Flotilla, taking its crew into custody, including two Australians.

The ship had been on course to try to break an Israeli naval blockade of the territory, where starvation is taking hold among the Palestinian population in what the World Health Organization has labelled a man-made crisis.

In a message on social media, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition declared the ship, named the Handala, had been “attacked by the Israeli occupation in international waters”.

“The ‘Handala’ was operating under international law, outside of Israeli jurisdiction, carrying parliamentarians, labour leaders, journalists, lawyers, and organisers,” the group wrote in a later post.

An online tracking tool set up to plot the Handala’s course showed its position as roughly 50 kilometres from the Egyptian coast and 100 kilometres west of Gaza when it was intercepted, which would place the ship well outside Israel’s territorial waters.

Men and women raise their fists, as one holds a bullhorn, in front of a boat.

The Handala departed for Gaza from a port in Syracuse, Italy, on July 13. (AFP: Giovanni Isolino)

The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed the Israeli navy had boarded the ship, releasing a statement saying the Navarn — an alternative name for the Handala — had been stopped from “illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza”.

Albanese says Israel ‘quite clearly’ breaching international law

The PM says Australia is not about to recognise a Palestinian state “imminently”, but will “work constructively” towards doing so.

“The vessel is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. All passengers are safe,” the ministry posted on X.

Israel had earlier vowed to enforce its blockade of Gaza, and its statement confirming the ship’s boarding said attempts to breach the blockade were “dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts”.

A live stream of the ship’s voyage being broadcast by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition showed the crew of activists sitting on deck, holding their hands up and whistling the Italian anti-fascist song Bella Ciao as the soldiers took control of the vessel.

The video feed was cut just a few minutes later.

Among the 21 people onboard the ship — which included 19 activists from 12 countries, plus two journalists from Al-Jazeera — were two Australians, Tan Safi and Robert Martin.

Two Australians address the camera in vertical videos.

Australians Tan Safi and Robert Martin have been detained by the Israeli navy. (Supplied: Freedom Flotilla Coalition)

Freedom Flotilla released pre-recorded video statements from the pair after the ship was boarded.

“I’ve been abducted and taken against my will by the Israeli military, or forces of a country that enables, profits from or protects Israel’s genocide and starvation of Palestinians in Gaza,” Safi said in their statement.

“I appeal to everyone to put pressure on the Australian government to sanction Israel, to stop their participation in Israel’s war crimes, and to demand my release as well as the release of everyone aboard the Handala as soon as possible.”

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said the department was aware two Australians were on board the vessel, and Australian officials in Tel Aviv were liaising with Israeli authorities.

“Consular officers stand ready to offer assistance to affected Australians,” the spokesperson said.

Also on board the ship were two French parliamentarians, Emma Fourreau and Gabrielle Cathala.

Their party leader, Jean-Luc Melenchon of France Unbowed (LFI), condemned Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and demanded that the French government take action.

Greta Thunberg detained as IDF boards Freedom Flotilla ship

Israeli forces took command of a charity vessel that had tried to break a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, with activist Greta Thunberg among those on board.

“Netanyahu’s thugs boarded Handala. They attack 21 unarmed people in territorial waters where they have no right. A kidnapping in which two French parliamentarians are victims,” he posted on X.

The last boat sent by the Freedom Flotilla, the Madleen, was intercepted by the Israeli navy in international waters on June 9 and towed to the Israeli port of Ashdod.

It carried 12 campaigners, including prominent Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who was eventually expelled from Israel.

The Handala’s crew said in a post on X that they would go on a hunger strike if the Israeli army intercepted the boat and detained its passengers.

ABC/AFP