Several pro-Palestinian activists set to depart from Spain on Sunday in the largest flotilla yet with dozens of boats carrying aid bound for Gaza amid the ongoing genocide and starvation, according to Reuters.
The activists have urged governments to pressure Israel to allow their passage through the naval blockade.
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Portuguese left-wing politician Mariana Mortágua are taking part in the initiative, joining hundreds of people from 44 countries.
Interestingly, they are set to depart from various ports as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, named after the Arabic word “Sumud,” meaning perseverance.
“They need to act to defend human rights and to guarantee a safe passage for this flotilla,” the Palestinian, who is resident in Spain, told Reuters on Thursday in Barcelona.
Freedom Flotilla Coalition
On June 1, Thunberg and 11 other activists sailed to Gaza Strip on June 1 aboard a ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gazans.
The aid ship, operated by activist group Freedom Flotilla Coalition, set out from the Sicilian port of Catania in southern Italy on a mission to break “Israel’s siege” of the devastated territory, organizers said.
The activists stated that they will try to deliver some aids to Palestinians who are starving due to Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid.
However, Israeli forces have taken control of Madleen yacht and detained activists on board.
Then, Israel announced the deportation of activists held in detention over their attempt to deliver some humanitarian aid to Gaza, according to the Associated Press.
“After more than 72 hours in Israeli custody following the unlawful interception of the Madleen Freedom Flotilla in international waters … six volunteers are now being transferred to Ben Gurion Airport for deportation,” the Adalah rights group said in a statement.
“Bye-bye — and don’t forget to take a selfie before you leave,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry wrote on X.
Gaza War
Currently, Israel is facing regional and international pressure to put an end to its war in the Palestinian enclave and allow the delivery of more aid.
At the same time, the Israeli government has been facing harsh criticism from countries, nations, and individuals who considered the war as a genocide or ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.
Since the beginning of Hamas-Israel War, the Israeli strikes have killed more than 63,000 Palestinians and wounded over 159,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Dozens of Gazans including children have lost their souls due to malnutrition throughout the war that caused unthinkable humanitarian conditions.
Rights group Amnesty International has accused Israel of enacting a “deliberate policy” of starvation in Gaza and “systematically destroying the health, well-being and social fabric of Palestinian life.”
Related Topics:
Music Meets Activism: Greta Thunberg Joins Sam Fender in “Free Palestine” Call
In Photos: Gaza Aid Boat Departs Italy as Activists Defy Israeli Blockade
Madleen Yacht: Israeli Troops Seize Gaza Aid Boat, Detain its Crew
