Gaza-bound aid convoy crosses Libyan border

A grassroots land convoy travelling from the Tunisian capital to Gaza has crossed the Libyan border en route to the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Over a thousand activists from North African countries are participating in the convoy as a "symbolic act" to spotlight Israel's crippling siege on the territory.

The "Soumoud" convoy, meaning "steadfastness" in Arabic, set off from Tunis on Monday morning, spokesman Ghassen Henchiri told Tunisian radio station Mosaique FM. 

He said it includes 14 buses and around 100 other vehicles, carrying hundreds of people.

They plan to cross to Egypt by Thursday, and continue on to the city of Rafah near the Gaza border.

Organisers have said Egyptian authorities have not yet provided passage to enter the country, but Henchiri said the convoy received "reassuring" information.

This comes a day after Israeli forces intercepted the Gaza-bound, British-flagged aid ship, the Madleen, and detained its 12-strong crew, which included climate activist Greta Thunberg.