A humanitarian boat bound for Gaza, with 12 activists on board — including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg — will continue its journey “until the last minute”, campaigners have said after Israel ordered its military to block the vessel.

“We’ll stay mobilised until the last minute — until Israel cuts the internet and networks,” European parliament member Rima Hassan told AFP from the boat, named Madleen.

“There are twelve of us civilians on board. We are not armed. There is only humanitarian aid,” Hassan said.

Nationals of Germany, France, Brazil, Turkey, Sweden, Spain and the Netherlands are on the boat.

“We’re not scared of them,” said German human rights activist Yasemin Acar, also on board. “The message they have been sending us, that we cannot come closer, is not making us step back.”