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       Spearheaded by the Turkish IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation and made up of what is currently three ships - although activists hope the number will increase - the flotilla is expected to depart from the Turkish port of Tuzla near Istanbul in the coming days.

       On Friday, activists said three vessels had been loaded with approximately 5,500 tonnes of food and other supplies and were now waiting for permission to sail from the Turkish authorities. No departure date has yet been set.

       Organisers say other vessels from the region might join the flotilla en route.

       Israeli media has said the flotilla's departure - already delayed several times - could be "postponed indefinitely".

       Northern Gaza in particular is rapidly sinking into humanitarian disaster after months of military onslaught and choked aid supplies.

       A top United Nation official appealed for €2.6 billion on Tuesday to provide desperately needed aid to three million Palestinians, stressing that preventing a looming famine in war-torn Gaza requires not only food but sanitation, water and health facilities.

       According to Israeli officials, on Thursday alone 276 trucks with food and other aid entered Gaza. Many countries from the Middle East and Europe continue daily airdrops into various areas of the Strip.

       On Friday, Hamas-run Gaza authorities reported that the Palestinian death toll since October 7 had surpassed 34,000.