Lebanese aid ship "Taly" heading to Gaza on Thursday morning received threats from Israeli warships surrounding it, reported the Doha-based al-Jazeera TV satellite channel.

The Israeli warships voiced the warning to the Lebanese ship in the Egyptian territorial water near Gaza, while Israeli jets are also flying over "Taly", said the TV report.

The al-Jazeera reporter on board of the ship was quoted as saying that "Taly" received radio threats from the Israelis saying that "Gaza is under siege, no one should approach."

The Lebanese ship, which has its nick name "Brotherhood" in symbol of solidarity, is now 3 miles into Egyptian territorial water, and 24 miles away from Gaza.

Israeli warplanes have been flying over the ship since last night, according to the two Lebanon's New TV reporters who are on board.

The Lebanese ship sailed Wednesday towards Gaza carrying aid and rights activists after a stopover in Cyprus.

The trip organizer Hani Suleiman said that Cypriot authorities had cleared up the way for the trip after searching the vessel to ensure transparency.

The ship had left the northern Lebanese port of Tripoli on Monday night, carrying 60 tons of medicine and food, as well as eight activists and journalists, including former Greek Catholic archbishop of Jerusalem Hilarion Capucci, who left Jerusalem in the 1970s after serving in an Israeli jail.

A similar aid boat to challenge the Israeli blockade on Gaza was turned back in January and was forced by the Israelis into southern Lebanon's Tyre port.

(Xinhua News Agency February 6, 2009)