The climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and 11 other activists have set sail for Gaza on a ship aimed at “breaking Israel’s siege” of the devastated territory, organisers have said.
The sailing boat Madleen – operated by the activist group Freedom Flotilla Coalition – departed from the port of Catania in Sicily, southern Italy, on Sunday.
“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.
That attempt to reach Gaza by sea in early May failed after another of the group’s vessels, the Conscience, was allegedly attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off the coast of Malta.
Organisers plan to stage a protest there, demanding that Israel stop the Gaza offensive and reopen the border.
In an effort to “break Israel’s siege” of the devastated region, Greta Thunberg, a climate campaigner, and eleven other activists have sailed for Gaza, according to organizers.
On Sunday, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an activist organization, launched the sailing vessel Madleen from the port of Catania in Sicily, southern Italy.
The activists said at a press conference on Sunday before the ship left that it would attempt to reach the Gaza Strip’s shores in order to bring in some aid and increase “international awareness” of the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
As Thunberg broke down in tears during her speech, she stated, “We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying.”.
Because we lose our humanity the instant we give up. Furthermore, the world’s silence in the face of the livestreamed genocide is far more dangerous than this mission, no matter how risky it is. “.”.
Israel has strongly denied any genocide accusations.
After almost three months, Israel partially lifted its blockade of Gaza in mid-May, permitting a small amount of humanitarian aid to enter the region. However, experts have cautioned that if more aid is not delivered, Gaza faces the threat of famine.
Aid delivery to Gaza’s approximately 2 million Palestinians is hampered by Israeli restrictions, the breakdown of law and order, and widespread looting, according to UN agencies and major aid groups.
The Madleen’s crew includes Game of Thrones star Liam Cunningham and French European parliamentarian Rima Hassan, who is of Palestinian heritage and has been prohibited from entering Israel because she actively opposes Israel’s attack on Gaza.
It is anticipated that the activists will reach their destination in seven days if they are not stopped.
Last month, Thunberg was scheduled to board a previous Freedom Flotilla ship. She rose to international fame as a climate activist after organizing large-scale protests in her home country of Sweden. Another of the group’s ships, the Conscience, was allegedly attacked by two drones while cruising in international waters off the coast of Malta, which caused the attempt to reach Gaza by sea in early May to fail.
In the most recent clash over attempts to deliver aid to the Palestinian territory devastated by nearly 19 months of war, the group accused Israel of being responsible for the attack, which damaged the ship’s front section.
“We are breaking the siege of Gaza by sea, but that is part of a larger strategy of mobilizations that will also attempt to break the siege by land,” activist Thiago Ávila stated.
The Global March to Gaza, which is open to media, doctors, and lawyers, is scheduled to depart Egypt and arrive at the Rafah crossing in mid-June, according to Ávila. To demand that Israel halt its Gaza offensive and reopen the border, organizers intend to hold a protest there.
