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Aid Flotilla Approaches Gaza Amidst Warnings
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By Anya Sharma | WASHINGTON, D.C. – 2025/06/08 15:21:08
The humanitarian aid ship Madeleine, carrying activist Greta Thunberg, has reached the Egyptian coast en route to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has ordered the army to “act” to prevent the ship from reaching Gaza, warning, “turn around as you will not get to Gaza.”
The Madeleine, part of the Freedom Flotilla coalition and flying a British flag, departed Sicily last Sunday with the stated aim to “deliver humanitarian aid, break the Israeli block and make continuous suffering in the Palestinian enclave.” According to German human rights activist Yasemin Akar, the ship is currently near alexandria and expected to arrive in Gaza this Sunday. Akar noted, “We navigate in front of the Egyptian coast. Everything is fine.”
Akar also stated, “We are at a short distance from the territorial waters of Gaza,” adding that “surveillance drones aim to intimidate” the crew. She addressed the possibility of an attack by the Israeli army: “If Israel attacks us, it will be another war crime. We would not have embarked on this mission if we did not believe that we would get to Gaza.”
The International committee to break the siege of Gaza, based in London, declared that “Madeleine’s approach to the coast of Gaza represents a brave challenge to unfair policies that besiege civilians and a message of solidarity of the peoples of the free world with our people of Gaza.” The Committee added that the Freedom Flotilla coalition “is in constant contact with international organizations of human and legal rights to guarantee the safety of activists on board,” emphasizing that “any attack or obstruction to the ship constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.”
Eurodiputada Rima hassan, also aboard the Madeleine, has urged governments to ensure safe passage for the Freedom Flotilla. She noted that over 200 European legislators “have signed an open letter to Israel” demanding that it allow the ship’s arrival and “immediately allow the entrance of it’s humanitarian load.”
The Freedom Flotilla, established in 2010, describes itself as a “non-violent international movement in solidarity with the Palestinians,” committed to challenging the Israeli blockade of Gaza. Recent reports indicate that Israel’s offensive in the Palestinian enclave, ongoing since the October 7 attacks, has resulted in approximately 54,900 deaths.
Israeli Response
Upon learning of the flotilla’s approach, Israeli Defense minister Israel Katz stated he has instructed the Israeli armed forces to “act” to prevent the flotilla from reaching Gaza, “taking for it the necessary measures.” Katz specifically addressed Thunberg, stating: “I clearly tell Greta’s anti -Semitic and her spokesman friends of Hamas’s propaganda: You should turn around because you are not going to get to Gaza.”
Katz further warned that “Israel will act against any attempt to break the block or help terrorist organizations in the sea, the air and the earth.” Actor Liam Cunningham, known for his role in Game of Thrones, and Spanish activist Sergio Toribio are also on board. Toribio asserted the legality of the mission: “Israel’s forces cannot stop us, thay have no right over us, and less in palestinian waters in which they have nothing more than an invasive army.”
“I clearly tell Greta’s anti -Semitic and her spokesman friends of Hamas’s propaganda: You should turn around because you are not going to get to Gaza.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there a blockade on Gaza?
The blockade was imposed by Israel and Egypt in 2007 after Hamas took control,citing security concerns.
What is the purpose of the aid flotillas?
The flotillas aim to deliver humanitarian aid and challenge the blockade, raising awareness about the situation in Gaza.
