Israeli naval forces seized a humanitarian aid ship late Saturday as it attempted to reach the Gaza Strip, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which organized the mission.

The vessel, named the 'Handala,' was carrying baby formula, food, medicine, and 21 people — including 19 activists and two journalists. The countries of origin include the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Iraq, Morocco and Italy, according to the FFC website.

The Handala departed the port of Gallipoli, Italy, on July 20, after an earlier departure from Syracuse on July 13 was delayed due to technical issues, according to the coalition’s website. 

The ship later altered course to enter Egyptian waters in an effort to avoid interception.

In a statement on X, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the ship was stopped from “illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza” and rerouted to Israel. The ministry added “all passengers are safe.”

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a grassroots group seeking to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza, said the ship was in international waters when it was boarded, 40 nautical miles from the enclave. 

Video footage released by the group showed passengers seated on the deck with their hands raised. Another video showed Israeli forces boarding the ship.

“Israeli forces disabled our cameras and all communication has been lost,” an FFC spokesperson told CNN shortly before the vessel’s seizure.

The coalition said in a statement that the unarmed vessel was carrying “life-saving supplies when it was boarded by Israeli forces, its passengers abducted, and its cargo seized.”

According to an update posted by the group on X, three passengers have been deported while 18 remain in Israeli custody.

Despite six of the passengers being American citizens, the U.S. State Department dismissed the mission Thursday, calling it a “selfie flotilla” and urging organizers to “end the stunts,” CNN reported.

The Handala is the second FFC ship intercepted in recent weeks.

 In June, Israeli forces stopped the Madleen aid flotilla in international waters under similar circumstances. That ship, which carried Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and French-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan, was towed to an Israeli port and its passengers deported.

International pressure has been mounting on Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza. At least 122 Palestinians, including 86 children, have died from starvation, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Khalid Alsadek contributed to the reporting of this story