Freedom Flotilla in renewed attempt to break Israel's Gaza blockade

A group of pro-Palestinian activists set sail from Catania on board the Madleen on Sunday in a renewed effort to break Israel’s blockade and reach Gaza.

The group includes climate activist Greta Thunberg, French MEP aims Rima Hassan and Game Of Thrones star Liam Cunningham.

The sailing boat Madleen just before departure from Catania (Photo: Tan Safi/Freedom Flotilla)

“We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying,” Thunberg said, bursting into tears during her speech before departure.

“Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity. And no matter how dangerous this mission is, it’s not even near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the live-streamed genocide,” she added.

The activists hope to reach Gaza and deliver some aid, while raising international awareness on the situation in the besieged enclave.

The sailing boat Madleen is operated by activist group Freedom Flotilla Coalition. It embarked from the Sicilian port of Catania, in southern Italy and will cross the Mediterranean to reach Gaza.

Mission scuttled by drone strike

At the start of May, a similar mission onboard the ship Conscience was abandoned after the vessel was attacked by two drones just outside Maltese territorial waters. The activists have blamed Israel for the attack. Eventually, the ship was towed to the Libyan port city of Misrata for repairs.

The damage on the front part of the aid ship, Conscience, after it was attacked by drones just outside Malta's territorial waters at the start of May (Photo: Freedom Flotilla)

Gaza sustained a three-month-long blockade with Israel refusing to allow aid into the enclave, amid warnings of famine by international humanitarian organisations. Israel finally lifted the blockade but has been controlling the distribution of aid, which activists say is not enough to meet the needs of the Palestinians.

Gaza has been reduced to rubble by Israeli forces after the military invaded the enclave following the Hamas October 2023 attacks inside Israel.

Thousands of Palestinians have been killed, including children. Whole families have been killed and children orphaned as a result of systematic bombardments that have made the enclave uninhabitable.