The Global Sumud Flotilla announced Saturday night that it had left Greek territorial waters. In addition, the International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza (ICBSG) said that it had launched a new wave of boats from the Italian island of Sicily. Those on board include nine parliamentarians from Europe and the United States, as well as prominent cultural and human rights figures.
According to an ICBSG statement, the new flotilla includes ten civilian ships departing from the port of San Giovanni Li Cuti in the city of Catania, as part of the Freedom Flotilla coalition and the “Thousand Madleens to Gaza” initiative, in another attempt to break the Israeli blockade on the Strip. The ships are carrying about 70 activists from more than 20 countries.
According to the committee, this wave continues the journeys of Madleen, Handala, and many other boats launched by the Freedom Flotilla coalition in the past 15 years, along with those of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which the Israeli occupation forces repeatedly intercepted in international waters.
Zaher Birawi, head of the International Committee to Break the Siege, said the global mobilization of ships to break the siege will not stop until it achieves its humanitarian goals, stressing that “the ships will continue sailing toward Gaza regardless of challenges and difficulties, and despite all the hysterical Israeli threats to activists and supporters from around the world.”
Italian President Sergio Mattarella called on the organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla to accept a proposal to redirect humanitarian aid to Cyprus, to be transferred to Gaza under UN and Italian mediation. The flotilla rejected the offer, arguing that changing the route “means recognizing the legitimacy of unlawful practices.”
Maria Elena Delia, spokesperson for the Italian delegation, said in a recorded video: “We are ready to evaluate mediation proposals, but not at the expense of changing the route,” adding that “the proposal aims to spare us risks in international waters, but in essence it bypasses the core goal of the mission.”
The Italian delegation confirmed in a later statement that the flotilla’s mission remains focused on its main objective: breaking the blockade and delivering aid directly to Gaza’s residents. It called any obstruction “a grave violation of international law and a challenge to the interim order of the International Court of Justice, which obligates Israel to facilitate the entry of aid.”
Last week, six ships in the flotilla came under attack by drones that launched projectiles and sound bombs, causing minor material damage but no casualties. This prompted Italy and Spain to send warships “to protect the flotilla and provide assistance.”
The flotilla faces broad threats of being targeted if it proceeds in international waters in the Mediterranean. Several countries warned their citizens participating in the flotilla of a possible Israeli attack, according to Al Jazeera. As a result, the flotilla entered Greek territorial waters last Thursday to reduce the risk of assault.
The flotilla began its journey in Barcelona with more than 300 activists and later stopped in Tunisia to add more vessels. Organizers say their mission is to deliver humanitarian aid, challenge Israel’s exclusive control of Gaza’s crossings, and highlight the worsening humanitarian crisis in the enclave.
This September, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir presented a plan to stop the flotilla sailing to Gaza, according to Sky News. Under the proposal, all activists aboard would be arrested and detained in Israel’s Ketziot and Damon prisons, facilities used for holding what authorities label as “terrorists,” under strict conditions usually reserved for security prisoners.
