Activists on board two ships heading for the Gaza Strip in an attempt to breach the Israeli blockade of the salient said Friday morning they were still en route, and had not yet encountered any Israel navy vessels dpa reported
The ships were 70 miles (112 kilometres) from the enclave, the activists said on Twitter.
Israel has said it will not permit the ships to breach the blockade. An Israel military spokesman on Friday gave no further details of the navy's preparedness.
The two ships - the Irish Saoirse, and the Canadian Tahrir - sailed from Turkey on Wednesday. They are expected to reach the Gaza coast later Friday.