A large civilian flotilla carrying activists and humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza set sail from Barcelona on Wednesday, in what organisers describe as the biggest mobilisation of its kind in response to Israel’s actions in the territory.
Organised under the banner of the Global Sumud Flotilla, the campaign is expected to involve more than 70 boats and around 1,000 participants from across the world. Nearly 40 vessels departed from Barcelona, while others are set to join from ports across the Mediterranean as the flotilla heads eastward.
Thiago Avila, one of the flotilla’s leaders, said during a press conference earlier this week that adverse weather conditions had delayed the original April 12 departure. The launch was marked by a symbolic send-off event in the Spanish city.
Activists say the mission aims to refocus global attention on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has been overshadowed by the ongoing Iran conflict. “We sail because governments have failed,” said Saif Abukeshek, a member of the flotilla’s global steering committee. “They want a society that feels helpless, that cannot act, that cannot mobilise. We refuse to be that society,” he added.
The latest effort comes six months after a ceasefire halted the most intense phase of fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas-led militants. However, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 700 people have been killed in Israeli attacks during the ceasefire period.
Despite the pause in major hostilities, key aspects of the ceasefire remain unresolved, including the disarmament of Hamas, the end of its governance in Gaza, deployment of an international stabilisation force, and the start of large-scale reconstruction. Around 2 million residents in Gaza continue to live amid widespread destruction, facing severe shortages of food and medicine, with only limited aid entering through a single Israeli-controlled crossing.
Israel and Egypt have maintained varying levels of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized control in 2007. Israel maintains that the restrictions are necessary to prevent weapons smuggling, while critics argue they amount to collective punishment of the Palestinian population.
The current flotilla follows a similar attempt last year that was thwarted by Israeli authorities. During that mission, several boats approached Gaza’s waters, with one crossing the 12-nautical-mile boundary separating international and territorial waters, before all vessels were intercepted, seized, or turned back.
Among those involved in the earlier attempt was Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, along with others who were detained, imprisoned, and later deported by Israel. Participants alleged mistreatment during detention, claims that Israeli authorities denied.
The interception was broadcast live at the time, triggering widespread global protests. However, attention on Gaza has since diminished, as geopolitical focus shifted to the Iran conflict and its wider regional and economic implications.
Organisers hope the renewed effort will bring global focus back to conditions in the Gaza Strip, which has been devastated by the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Since the conflict began with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023—killing around 1,200 people and resulting in 251 hostages—more than 70,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza authorities.
Support for the flotilla includes organisations such as Greenpeace Spain and Open Arms, both of which have deployed large vessels to accompany the smaller boats.
“We sail because the people of Gaza have a right to exist and to breathe and to thrive on their land,” said Eva Saldana, head of Greenpeace Spain.