The launch of the "Global Resilience Fleet" from Barcelona to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza
Today, Sunday, August 31, a fleet carrying humanitarian aid and activists set sail from the Catalan port of Barcelona in an attempt to "break the illegal blockade" imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip, according to the initiative's organizers.
This step comes under the umbrella of an initiative called the "Global Resilience Fleet," which describes itself on its website as an "independent" organization that is "not affiliated with any government or political party." The fleet aims to "open a humanitarian corridor and put an end to the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people," according to the organizers.
Dozens of additional ships are scheduled to join the fleet, which will set sail from Tunisia and other Mediterranean countries on September 4, along with organizing demonstrations and "simultaneous activities" in 44 countries, as reported by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, a member of the fleet's steering committee, via Instagram.
In this regard, Thunberg stated in an interview with the French news agency on Saturday: "The ships in this new fleet heading to the Palestinian sector will seek to reach Gaza, deliver humanitarian aid, announce the opening of a humanitarian corridor, and then bring more aid, thus breaking the illegal and inhumane Israeli blockade on Gaza once and for all."
Activists from many countries are participating in the initiative, along with European MPs and public figures, including former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau. The organizers have not specified the final number of ships or the exact timing of their departure.
For his part, Brazilian activist Thiago Avila described the mission as "the largest solidarity mission in history," noting in a statement to reporters in Barcelona last week that "the number of people and ships participating will surpass all previous attempts to reach Gaza."
For her part, Portuguese leftist MP Mariana Mortágua, one of the participants in the fleet, emphasized the international legitimacy of the mission, stating: "It is a legal mission under international law."
On the diplomatic front, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated on Saturday that his government "will use all its diplomatic and consular resources to protect our citizens" aboard the fleet.
The fleet initiative comes after a similar attempt to deliver aid to Gaza, in which Thunberg also participated, failed. On June 9, Israeli forces intercepted the sailing ship "Madeleine," which was carrying 12 activists from several countries about 185 kilometers west of the Gaza coast.
It is noteworthy that this step coincides with increasing accusations against Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians on the international stage, including before the International Criminal Court and within the halls of the United Nations. In August, the United Nations officially declared a state of famine in the Gaza Strip.
The war in the Gaza Strip erupted following an attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to a count based on official Israeli data.
In response, Israeli attacks and military operations in the sector have resulted in the deaths of at least 63,371 people, the majority of whom are civilians, according to the latest statistics released by the Gaza Ministry of Health.
