MADRID – Organizers of the “Global Flotilla of Resilience” announced Sunday that the first ships carrying humanitarian aid and activists have departed from Barcelona, beginning an international effort to challenge Israel’s blockade on Gaza.
Spokesman Seif Abu Khashk told Anadolu Agency that the initiative seeks to “work tirelessly until the blockade is broken and the mass killing in Gaza is stopped,” criticizing governments and the international community for failing to act. He acknowledged the risks involved, warning that Israel may respond violently, but said the dangers faced by the flotilla are small compared with the daily suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, a member of the flotilla’s steering committee, said the mission highlights governments’ failure to uphold international law. “By refusing to act to stop war crimes and prevent genocide, they are betraying not only Palestinians but humanity as a whole,” she said.
The flotilla includes activists from 44 nations, European parliamentarians, and groups such as the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, Global Gaza Movement, Caravan of Resilience, and Nusantara Resilience of Malaysia. Organizers said additional ships are scheduled to depart from Tunisia and other countries on Sept. 4, alongside global demonstrations.
Gaza remains under a tight blockade and bombardment since October 7, 2023, with over 63,000 Palestinians killed, tens of thousands wounded, and widespread destruction leaving the enclave facing famine conditions.
Nisreen Othman / Manar Salameh
