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Gaza aid flotilla sets sail from Spain in bid to break Israeli blockade
A second flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza was due to set sail on Sunday from the Spanish port of Barcelona to try to break the Israeli blockade. About 30 boats planned to leave the Mediterranean port city laden with medical aid and other supplies on the Global Sumud Flotilla, and more vessels are expected to join along the route towards Palestine.
The Israeli military halted the roughly 40 boats assembled by the same organisation last October as they attempted to reach blockaded Gaza, arresting Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and more than 450 other participants.
Israel, which controls all access to the Gaza Strip, denies withholding supplies for its more than 2 million residents. Yet Palestinians and international aid bodies say supplies reaching the territory are still insufficient, despite a ceasefire reached in October which included guarantees of increased aid.
Liam Cunningham, an actor who starred in the Game of Thrones television series who is supporting the flotilla but not taking part, said: “Every kilogram of aid that is on these ships is a failure because all these people on these ships giving up their time to help their fellow human beings are doing what their governments are legally obliged to do.”
The World Health Organisation has said that even during armed conflicts, states are obligated under international humanitarian law to ensure that people are able to reach medical care in safety.
Turkish activists join ‘expanding’ Sumud flotilla for Gaza
The Spanish port of Barcelona is set to see off activists of the second Global Sumud Flotilla later on Sunday.
Activists from Türkiye will soon join the flotilla, which aims to break the Israeli blockade on the Palestinian enclave Gaza, where tens of thousands of people have been slaughtered by Israel since 2023 and many more have been left to survive on limited means.
Sümeyra Akdeniz Ordu, one of the Turkish activists and organizers of the flotilla, told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Sunday that they expanded their strategy this time and it was not only about breaking the blockade through a sea route. “We will also launch a land convoy and hold a congress on April 22. She said “the unity at sea and land” will launch pressure on governments that endorsed Israel’s genocide. Ordu is the only Turkish organizer of the flotilla and said their numbers will be higher this time.
“In our first attempt, we achieved some concrete results. For instance, Palestinian fishermen were able to fish off the coast of Gaza after a long time because Israelis were too distracted as they were busy with stopping us. Then, we witnessed a cease-fire even if it was not fully honored. Moreover, we had the support of Palestinians who invited us again. We are doing this because they expect us,” she stated.
