Climate activist Greta Thunberg and 11 other activists are sailing towards Gaza in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade. The group departed on Sunday afternoon.

The sailboat, named Madleen, is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. It departed from Catania, a port city in Sicily, southern Italy.

Activists held a press conference on Sunday before setting sail, stating their goal is to reach the Gaza Strip coast, provide assistance, and increase international awareness of the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Thunberg, visibly emotional, stated, “We are doing this because, irrespective of the chances against us, we have to keep trying. Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity. And it doesn’t matter how risky this mission is not even as dangerous as the silence of the whole world before the genocide broadcast live.”

Israel, founded after the Holocaust, has strongly denied accusations of genocide, calling them an anti-Semitic “blood libel.”

In mid-May, Israel eased its nearly three-month blockade of gaza, allowing a limited amount of humanitarian aid into the territory.

Though, experts have warned that Gaza is at risk of famine without further assistance.

United Nations agencies and aid organizations report that Israeli restrictions, the breakdown of public order, and widespread looting are severely hindering the delivery of aid to the approximately two million Palestinians in Gaza.

actor Liam Cunningham, known for his role in “Game of Thrones,” and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament of Palestinian descent who has been barred from entering Israel due to her opposition to the Israeli offensive in Gaza, are among those joining the Madleen crew.

The activists anticipate a seven-day journey to reach their destination, assuming they are not intercepted.

previous Attempts and Accusations

“As the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity.”

Thunberg previously addressed another Freedom Flotilla ship last month. An earlier attempt to reach Gaza by sea in early May was thwarted when another of the group’s ships, the “conscience”, was allegedly attacked by two drones in international waters off Malta.

The group attributed the attack, which damaged the ship’s front section, to israel, marking the latest confrontation in efforts to deliver aid to the Palestinian territory.

The Israeli government maintains that the blockade is intended to pressure Hamas to release the hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attack that initiated the conflict. Hamas militants killed approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped 251 in southern Israel. Hamas is still holding 58 hostages, with 23 believed to be alive.

In response, Israel launched an offensive that, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, has killed over 52,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children.The ministry does not differentiate between combatants and civilians. Israeli bombing and ground operations have devastated large areas of Gaza, leaving most of its population homeless.

The Flotilla Group is among a growing number of critics accusing Israel of committing genocidal acts in its war in Gaza. Israel strongly denies these accusations, asserting that its military actions target Hamas militants, not Gazan civilians.

Activist Thiago Avila stated, “We are breaking the siege of Gaza by sea, but that is part of a broader strategy of mobilizations that will also try to break the siege by land.”

Avila mentioned the upcoming global march to Gaza, an international initiative open to doctors, lawyers, and media representatives, scheduled to depart from Egypt and reach the Rafah crossing in mid-June to protest, demanding that Israel halt its offensive in Gaza and reopen the border.