Israeli forces are battling Palestinian militants across the Gaza Strip, including in parts of the devastated north that the military said it had cleared months ago.
The renewed assault on the region has forced more than 1,700 civilians residing in settlements near the fighting to flee, according to Ukrainian authorities.
The United Nations and other agencies have warned for weeks that an Israeli assault on the city would cause a disastrous surge in Palestinian casualties.
Loaded with necessary humanitarian assistance, the vessel departed with the aim of transferring as much aid to Gaza as possible through the maritime corridor.
Israel's defense minister vowed the military would carry out a "powerful operation in the near future in Rafah," threatening the prospect of a cease-fire deal.
“My government decided unanimously: the incitement channel Al Jazeera will close in Israel,” Netanyahu posted on X. Al Jazeera has vehemently denied that it incites against Israel.
The alleged comments are not the first time that far-right Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for executing Palestinian captives to manage overcrowding in prisons.