Aid Flotilla Departs Barcelona for Gaza Amidst Ongoing Conflict
A maritime convoy of approximately 20 vessels, carrying aid and activists from 44 countries, has set sail from Barcelona, Spain, aiming to break the 18-year israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. Organizers state this is the largest attempt to deliver aid by sea to Gaza to date,wiht additional ships expected to join from ports in Italy,Greece,and Tunisia.
The voyage comes as the conflict in Gaza continues, having resulted in over 63,000 fatalities, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry also reports at least 332 Palestinians have died from malnutrition, including 124 children.
Thousands of supporters gathered at the Barcelona pier to see the flotilla depart, chanting slogans such as “Free Palestine!” and “Boycott Israel!” The ships themselves vary widely, ranging from older yachts to smaller sailboats and industrial vessels, all displaying Palestinian flags. one vessel,the Sirus,is over a century old.Prominent figures participating in the expedition include Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, actors Susan Sarandon and Liam Cunningham, former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, and numerous other activists and journalists. This is not Thunberg’s first attempt to reach Gaza this year; she was deported in june after the Israeli military intercepted the Madleen, the ship she was travelling on with 11 others.
Thunberg stated that Israel has “continuously violating international law” by intercepting aid ships and preventing humanitarian assistance from reaching Gaza. Cunningham highlighted the dire situation, sharing a video of a young girl, Fatima, who had recently died after filming herself planning her own funeral.
The effort follows a similar incident in late July, where the Israeli military halted another aid ship, detaining 21 international activists and reporters and confiscating its cargo of baby formula, food, and medicine, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
Simultaneously occurring,an Israeli official announced Saturday that humanitarian aid to northern Gaza will soon be halted or slowed as the military expands its offensive against Hamas.This announcement follows the declaration of Gaza City as a combat zone.
The current conflict began on October 7, 2023, with a Hamas attack on Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people, the majority of whom were civilians, and the taking of 251 hostages.
