A fleet of boats carrying approximately 350 pro-Palestinian activists, including climate activist Greta Thunberg, departed from Barcelona for Gaza. The vessels, adorned with Palestinian flags, left the Spanish port at 19:00 local time on Monday and were loaded with medical and food supplies. The initial attempt to sail on Sunday was thwarted by stormy weather, forcing the convoy to return to port.
The primary objective of this mission is to challenge Israel’s prohibition on Gaza, according to the organizers. Previous seaborne efforts to reach Gaza were intercepted by Israeli forces, indicating potential challenges ahead.
The Global Sumud Flotilla Mission is scheduled to launch in two stages — the first from Barcelona, where the current group set sail, and the second from Tunis on September 4. Activists anticipate that the groups will reunite in the Mediterranean before embarking on the estimated seven to eight-day journey to Gaza.
In a video message, Thunberg stated their intention to navigate through the blockade and establish a humanitarian passage. Attending the flotilla’s departure on Sunday was punk singer Bob Vylan, who previously sparked controversy by leading a chant against the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) at Glastonbury. Vylan praised the activists as courageous individuals undertaking what he believes governments should have done long ago.
However, Israeli officials deem these actions as mere publicity stunts that do not offer actual humanitarian aid. Since March, Israel has implemented a nearly three-month complete blockade on goods entering Gaza. Although some goods have since been allowed back in, a United Nations-supported organization has reported famine in certain parts of Gaza.
Israel has sought to implement its own distribution system for aid through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a move criticized by aid organizations. In June, a yacht carrying Thunberg and other activists, along with a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid, was stopped by Israeli forces as it attempted to reach Gaza. The activists were taken to the port of Ashdod and subsequently deported.
In 2010, Israeli commandos fatally shot 10 individuals aboard the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, which was leading an aid flotilla toward Gaza. This event has colored perceptions of such missions and underscores the tensions surrounding aid delivery to the region.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn727mjn73lo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
