Greta Thunberg joins another Gaza aid flotilla departing from Barcelona

BARCELONA: Environmental activist Greta Thunberg has joined a convoy of vessels carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, setting sail from Barcelona on Sunday in an attempt to breach Israel’s long-standing naval blockade and deliver critical supplies to the besieged territory.

A large crowd gathered at the port to see off the flotilla, with demonstrators waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans such as “Free Palestine” and “It’s not a war, it’s a genocide.”

Also read: Global Sumud Flotilla: Greta Thunberg to sail again to ‘break Gaza siege’

Addressing supporters before departure, Thunberg condemned the international community’s inaction. “This mission is about confronting a violent global system that continues to ignore international law,” she said.

This marks Thunberg’s second attempt this year to reach Gaza by sea. Her previous effort in June ended when Israeli forces intercepted the aid ship and deported her and fellow activists.

Israel maintains that the naval blockade, in place since 2007, is essential to prevent arms smuggling to Hamas. Officials have dismissed recent attempts to break the blockade, including Thunberg’s, as politically motivated and supportive of Hamas.

Organizers of the flotilla argue the international community has failed to act decisively, even as famine conditions reportedly grip parts of Gaza. The mission is expected to grow, with additional vessels joining from ports in Greece, Italy, and Tunisia.

Yasemin Acar, a member of the flotilla’s steering committee, said around 250 metric tons of food aid have already been gathered in Genoa, Italy. While some of it was loaded onto departing ships Sunday, the remainder will be transported to Catania, Sicily, where further vessels are scheduled to depart on September 4.

Also read: Israeli forces seize Gaza aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg

The blockade has remained in effect through multiple conflicts, including the current war that erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a deadly attack in southern Israel, killing over 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli authorities.

In response, Israel launched a sweeping military campaign in Gaza, which local health officials say has claimed the lives of more than 63,000 people, most of them civilians. The war has devastated the enclave and triggered a deepening humanitarian crisis.