Activists Set Sail from Barcelona to Break Gaza Siege on Sunday

Barcelona, Spain – A flotilla carrying humanitarian aid and activists is scheduled to depart from Barcelona on Sunday, September 4, to challenge the blockade of Gaza, organizers announced. The initiative, led by the Global Sumud Flotilla, aims to establish a humanitarian corridor for the Palestinian people.

Details regarding the number of vessels and their departure time remain undisclosed. However, the flotilla is set to be the largest solidarity mission to Gaza in history, with organizers claiming more participants and boats than all previous attempts combined. “This will be the largest solidarity mission in history,” said Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila during a news conference in Barcelona last week.

The flotilla is expected to reach Gaza around mid-September. Activists from numerous countries, including former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, are joining the effort. Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, who is also on the flotilla’s steering committee, expressed her concerns on social media about the ongoing situation.

“It should not have to be up to us,” Thunberg, 22, stated in a recent video. “Governments must act to uphold international law.” The activists will also stage simultaneous protests in 44 countries in solidarity with Palestinians.

Israel has previously obstructed humanitarian efforts by sea, blocking two earlier attempts to deliver aid. In June, the sailboat Madleen was intercepted by Israeli forces 185 kilometers from Gaza, with Thunberg among its passengers. In July, Israeli forces also halted the Handala, which was carrying 21 activists from various nations.

Under international law, organizers argue that their mission is legal. Portuguese lawmaker Mariana Mortágua stated, “We understand that this is a legal mission under international law.”

As preparations continue, the Global Sumud Flotilla emphasizes the peaceful nature of their mission, seeking to deliver essential aid such as food and medicine to those in need.