Amnesty International on Friday urged Israeli authorities to allow the Madleen, the lead vessel of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, to proceed safely and without interference toward the besieged Gaza

The almost 20 months of war has torn Gaza apart, often displacing residents multiple times and killing more than 54,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreed in January collapsed in March as Israel enforced a blockade on all humanitarian aid into the strip.

Thunberg and 11 other activists are on board a ship headed to Gaza with aid supplies, but the IDF has said it does not intend to allow the ship to dock.