A ship carrying aid supplies and activists sailed on Monday night from northern Lebanese city of Tripoli to Gaza to challenge an Israeli blockade, Elnashra website reported on Tuesday.

Ship "Zapher" was supposed to set sail on Monday noon, but was replaced by Ship "Taly" for technical reasons, the report said.

The ship carrying 60 tons of medicine, food, toys and books would stop in Larnaca of Cyprus to be searched by Cyprus authorities to ensure transparency before heading to Gaza.

Eight people were allowed on board, including journalists from al-Jazeera TV and New TV, and former Greek Catholic archbishop of Jerusalem, Monsignor Hilarion Capucci, who left Jerusalem in the 1970s after serving in Israeli jail.

The ship was finally allowed to set sail from Lebanon following a day-long negotiations between the trip organizers and Lebanese Transportation Minister Ghazi Ariedy ended late Monday, said the report.

In January, a ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza was intercepted by the Israel navy and was forced to board in southern Lebanon port of Tyre.