Greta Thunberg joins Gaza flotilla in yet another attempt to break Israeli naval blockade

A vessel operated by the international non-profit Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) has set sail from Sicily in Italy in a renewed effort to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. The ship, Madleen, departed from the port of Catania on June 1, carrying a 12-person crew, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, French-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan and Game of Thrones star Liam Cunningham.

The voyage follows a failed attempt earlier in May when another FFC ship, the Conscience, was struck by two drones in the Mediterranean, just outside Maltese territorial waters. While the group blamed Israel for the attack, no official response has been issued.

The Madleen is transporting what FFC describes as “limited amounts, though symbolic” humanitarian aid. The cargo includes baby formula, rice, flour, nappies, sanitary pads, medical kits, water desalination units, children’s prosthetics and crutches. Organisers say the mission is more than an aid delivery; it is a political statement against what they call Israel’s blockade of Gaza.

Named after the first and only female fisher from Gaza in 2014, the Madleen was chosen to represent Palestinian resilience and global resistance to policies that the FFC argues amount to collective punishment and starvation, said the organisers.

At a press conference prior to departure, Thunberg, visibly emotional, said: “No matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying. Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity.” She added that the dangers of the mission were outweighed by the global silence in the face of what she described as genocide.

FFC said the journey, expected to take seven days if unimpeded, is part of a broader campaign to challenge the 15-year blockade of Gaza, combining direct non-violent action with international mobilisation. Another initiative, the Global March to Gaza, is set to begin later in June, with doctors, lawyers and journalists aiming to reach the Rafah crossing from Egypt in protest.

Rima Hassan, barred from entering Israel due to her criticism of its military actions, said the Madleen carries not just aid, but a demand for justice. “Silence is complicity,” she said. “This ship sails not just with supplies but with the voice of the world saying: the siege must end.”

Middle East