The “Freedom Fleet” coalition announced that the new ship, named “Handhala”, will start on July 13th of the Italian port of Sarkoussa, as part of a humanitarian mission aimed at confronting the Israeli siege.
One of the participants in the team said during a press conference held on board the ship, that they are sailing to “break the illegal blockade of Gaza,” and added: “We promised the people of Gaza that we will not stop until the siege is broken.”
The Israeli army seized the “Madeleine” ship from international waters as it was heading to Gaza to transport humanitarian aid in June, and 12 international activists were arrested.
Two days later, Israel released four of them after they signed a pledge not to return, while the rest refused to sign. On June 16, the coalition announced the release of all detainees.
Commitment despite the threats
Despite the previous targeting, the “Freedom Fleet” coalition affirmed on its official Facebook page that the systematic attacks will not deter them from continuing to move to break the siege, pointing to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the population faces the danger of starvation and the spread of diseases and death as a result of the continuous blockade.
A supportive demonstration in Sarkoussa
The Port of Sarkoussa witnessed a gathering of dozens of activists near the ship “Handala”, where they raised the Palestinian flags and chanted solidarity slogans, most notably “stop shooting now”, in a scene that reflects the increasing popular support for the civil initiatives facing the Israeli siege.
A popular initiative in the absence of institutions
The coalition affirmed that its mission is an independent popular move away from the official frameworks, in light of what it described as “the failure of international institutions to protect civilians and lift the siege on Gaza.” He called for the support of civil and legal efforts to relief the Palestinians trapped in the Strip.
