The Israeli navy has intercepted a boat carrying pro-Palestinian female activists trying to break Israel's naval blockade of the Gaza Strip and said it was escorting the vessel ashore.

The Israeli military said the takeover was brief and there were no injuries - avoiding a repeat of violence seen during a 2010 takeover of an international flotilla in which 10 Turks were killed in clashes with Israeli troops.

The incident occurred on a day of renewed fighting in Gaza, where the Israeli air force struck a series of targets in response to a Palestinian rocket strike earlier in the day. There were no reports of injuries on either side.

The boat was sponsored by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a group of pro-Palestinian groups based mostly in Europe.

The Dutch-flagged boat was carrying 13 female activists from different countries headed by Mairead Maguire, an Irish Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

A retired US colonel and former South African Olympic athlete were also on board, along with women from the United Kingdom, Sweden, Russia and Malaysia.

Zaher Darwish, one of the coordinators of the flotilla, said the boat was intercepted about 40 miles from Gaza and was not carrying any aid. He said the goal was “symbolic” - to call attention to the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza, which he called illegal.

“People have the right to move. We have the right to move,” Mr Darwish said. “We are aiming to the conscience of the people. And the conscience of governments. They have to act and express their non-acceptance of this situation.”

Israel and Egypt imposed a blockade on Gaza after the Hamas militant group seized power in 2007. The blockade has stifled Gaza's already weak economy, where unemployment is over 40 per cent, and prevented tens of thousands of people from travelling abroad for jobs, studies and other visits overseas.

Israel says the restrictions are needed to prevent Hamas from importing weapons, and says it has eased the blockade to allow more goods into the territory. It considers Hamas, an armed group sworn to Israel's destruction, a terrorist group, and the sides have fought three wars since the Hamas takeover.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Israeli military said the navy carried out the raid “after exhausting all diplomatic channels.”

It said forces ordered the boat to change course, and when it refused, they boarded and searched it. The military said male and female soldiers participated in the raid, and that the search was “uneventful”.

Palestinians show their solidarity with the flotilla of activists attempting to break the blockade (MOHAMMED ABED/AFP/Getty Images)

The boat was being escorted to the Israeli port of Ashdod, the military said, a process that was expected to take several hours. There was no word on what would happen to the people on board. In the past, activists have been arrested and quickly deported.

The raid sharply contrasted with the 2010 takeover, in which Israeli naval forces were confronted by crowds of activists armed with pipes and knives as they boarded a Turkish ship. Ten Turkish activists, one of them a dual American citizen, were killed during violent clashes.

The incident contributed to six years of diplomatic tensions with Turkey that were resolved only this year in a deal that included an Israeli apology and reparations, Turkish pledges to limit Hamas activity on its territory and a restoration of full diplomatic relations.

Smoke raises from western Gaza City following an Israeli air strike (MOHAMMED ABED/AFP/Getty Images)

Wednesday's rocket strike landed in Sderot, a southern Israeli town on the Gaza border. Although no one was wounded, such incidents have been rare since a 50-day war between Israel and Hamas in the summer of 2014.

Israel struck a series of Hamas posts throughout Gaza in response, sending tall plumes of smoke into the air. An obscure group that said it draws inspiration from the Islamic State group claimed responsibility. Israel, however, holds Hamas responsible for all attacks emanating from the territory.

Israel rejects Gaza truce call Show all 64 1 /64 Israel rejects Gaza truce call Israel rejects Gaza truce call A Palestinian man places a green Hamas flag on the rubble of a destroyed mosque after an Israeli air strike in Gaza AP Israel rejects Gaza truce call Smoke rises after an Israeli air strike in Gaza Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call The destroyed offices of the head of the Hamas government in Gaza AFP Israel rejects Gaza truce call A smoke trail of a Palestinian rocket launched from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel is seen from the area on the Israeli border with Gaza Strip. Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call A Palestinian man inspects the destoryed offices of the head of the Hamas government in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, following overnight Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City on December 31, 2008. Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call Israeli tanks deploy on the northern border with the Gaza Strip on December 31, 2008 Israel rejects Gaza truce call Protesters burn an Israeli flag in a demonstration against the Israeli military offensive in Gaza. Israel rejects Gaza truce call Israelis mourn during the funeral of Irit Shetreet, in the southern city of Ashdod yesterday Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call Israeli soldiers stand atop a tank outside the northern Gaza Strip Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call Smoke rises after an Israeli air strike in northern Gaza Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call Israeli soldiers guard the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call Palestinians inspect the ruins of al-Faruq mosque Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call Palestinians gather their belongings as they flee their home following an Israeli air strike Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call Palestinian boys carry their belongings as they walk over the ruins of a house Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call Palestinians inspect the ruins of a house Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call Israeli soldiers guard the Israeli border with the northern Gaza Strip near the kibbutz of Nir Am Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call A Palestinian boy carries his belongings after an Israeli air strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call An Israeli soldier prays in front of tanks just outside the central Gaza Strip Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call Destroyed Hamas government buildings are seen after an Israeli air strike Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call A Palestinian man walks past a destroyed car after an Israeli air strike in Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call Palestinian demonstrators take cover from tear gas fired by Israeli soldiers during a protest in the West Bank city of Hebron against the Israeli offensive in Gaza Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call A Palestinian youth prepares to throw a stone towards Israeli border police officers at Shuafat refugee camp in the West Bank near Jerusalem in protest of the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call A worker loads humanitarian aid onto a truck before it departs for the Gaza Strip, at the King Hussein Bridge crossing near Amman Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call Israeli soldiers take cover after a tear gas canister was mistakenly thrown at them by a comrade during scuffles with Palestinian stone-throwers at Qalandiya checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call Palestinians take part in a protest in the West Bank city of Hebron against the Israeli air strikes on Gaza Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call A Palestinian man looks at the ruins of al-Faruq mosque following an Israeli air strike in the Bureij refugee camp Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call An Israeli soldier cleans the turret of his Merkeva tank as his unit prepares for action at an advance deployment area Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call A Palestinian woman walks past a destroyed Hamas police compound after an Israeli air strike Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call An Israeli air strike in the northern Gaza Strip Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call A Palestinian protester throws stones at Israeli troops during clashes at a demonstration against Israel's military operation in Gaza AP Israel rejects Gaza truce call Palestinians carry the wounded to hospital, left, after Israel launched a second day of air strikes on the Gaza Strip Getty Images Israel rejects Gaza truce call The strikes sparked protests in Jordan Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call A relative carries the body of 4-year-old girl Dena Balosha during her funeral in Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call An explosion is seen after an Israeli air strike in the northern Gaza Strip Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call Palestinians look at a destroyed Hamas police compound Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call A destroyed Hamas police compound Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call An Israeli soldier stands in front of a tank just outside the northern Gaza Strip Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call Israeli soldiers and ultra-Orthodox Jews take cover after a rocket landed near Kibbutz Zikim, just outside the northern Gaza Strip Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call The sun sets behind an Israeli tank near Kibbutz Mefalsim, just outside the northern Gaza Strip Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call Smoke rises over the main Hamas security complex Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call Smoke rises after an Israel air strike Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call Palestinian fire fighters extinguish a fire Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call A Palestinian boy walks past a destroyed al-Shifa mosque Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call Smoke rises after an Israel air strike Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call A Hamas policeman shouts in front of a burning building Reuters Israel rejects Gaza truce call A Palestinian man inspects the destroyed house of the governor in Gaza City Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call An Israeli soldier rests on an armored personnel carrier (APC) where dozens of the vehicles have been deployed ahead of a possible ground attack against Hamas militants Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call A Palestinian man looks at a destroyed building of the Islamic University in Gaza City Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call A Palestinian man smokes a cigarette in front of the rubble of a destroyed mosque following an Israeli air strike in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call Israeli police rush to the scene of a Palestinian rocket attack moments after the Qassam rocket struck Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call A convoy of Israeli army tank transporters heads for an advanced staging post Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call An Israeli woman is evacuted in shock from the scene of a Palestinian rocket attack Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call Palestinian firemen extinguish fire from a building following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call Palestinians inspect and clear rubble from a house that was bombed Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call Smoke billows from the Gaza Strip following Israeli air strikes Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call A wounded Palestinian policeman gestures while lying on the ground as other men look for survivors outside the Hamas police headquarters Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call Palestinians inspect the rubble of the presidential building, the office of president Mahmoud Abbas which is now under Hamas control, after it was destroyed by an Israeli air strike Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call Palestinian inspect a building after it was destroyed by an Israeli air strike Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (centre) gives a press conference while sat next to Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni (left) and Defence Minister Ehud Barak (right) in Tel Aviv. Olmert said it would take some time to carry out operations in the Gaza Strip and warned his people to prepare for attacks from Hamas. Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call An Israeli soldier walks next to a tank as Israeli soldiers prepare their tanks outside their base near the Sufa crossing on the border with the Gaza strip and Israel. Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call An Israeli nurse holds her head as the alarm goes on at the Barzilai hospital in Ashklon, Israel. Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call Fire and smoke rise from a destroyed building as Palestinians carry a victim of an Israeli air strike that targeted Buriej refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip Getty Israel rejects Gaza truce call Palestinian civil defence workers use a hose in an attempt to control a fire consuming a building following a fresh Israeli air strike in Rafah town in the southern Gaza Strip Getty

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum urged international activists to continue sending flotillas to Gaza.

“This is an Israeli piracy and organised state terrorism reflecting how deep the Israeli entity has gone in its aggression, crimes and violations against our people and those who show solidarity with it,” he said.