Storm forces Gaza-bound flotilla back to Barcelona

Fierce winds in the Mediterranean forced the Global Sumud Flotilla—a convoy of 20 civilian boats carrying humanitarian aid and hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists—back to the Port of Barcelona shortly after it set sail for Gaza on Sunday, organizers said Monday.

“Due to unsafe weather conditions, we conducted a sea trial and then returned to port to allow the storm to pass,” the flotilla's organizers said in a statement, without specifying the exact time of the return.

The flotilla includes more than 300 passengers from 44 countries, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, Irish actor Liam Cunningham, American actress Susan Sarandon and Egyptian-Spanish filmmaker and writer Basel Ramsis, a contributor to Al Manassa.

Organizers said the mission aims to deliver food, clean water, and medical supplies to Gaza and challenge Israel’s 17-year naval blockade.

Ahead of the departure, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced a plan to intercept the flotilla, describing it as a “support operation for Hamas” and a threat to Israeli sovereignty. He proposed detaining the participants for a long time in high-security prisons typically used for Palestinian detainees and stripping them of any privileges.

The departure on Sunday had drawn thousands to the Barcelona waterfront in a show of support, as activists aboard the ships pledged to confront the humanitarian catastrophe and ongoing genocide in Gaza.

No new departure date has been confirmed, though flotilla organizers say the delay is temporary and that they remain committed to completing the journey.