The largest "aid flotilla" ever organized is expected to set sail for the Gaza Strip in the coming days. According to Italy's La Repubblica, dozens of vessels will depart from Barcelona, Genoa, Sicily, Tunisia and Greece, carrying humanitarian supplies and international crews from 44 countries. Organizers say the mission is designed to complicate efforts by Israeli security forces to block the ships and to increase international pressure on Israel. They describe it as "the largest civilian maritime mission ever attempted."
The first boats are scheduled to leave European ports on August 31, with more expected to join from September 4. Organizers say Greta Thunberg, the anti-Israel Swedish climate activist, plans once again to take part, this time alongside Ada Colau, former mayor of Barcelona, as well as other pro-Palestinian activists.
Most of the vessels are expected to be relatively small boats carrying humanitarian supplies. Organizers claim that some 30,000 people are on a waiting list to join. They say the flotilla aims to "break the siege of starving Gaza and establish a permanent humanitarian corridor."
Since the flotilla involves an illegal attempt to breach Israeli territory, it is expected to be stopped by Israeli security forces. One of the organizers, Maria Elena Delia, who serves as the flotilla's spokesperson, told La Repubblica: "We don't want anyone to interpret us as a threat, but we understand there is risk involved in setting out. At the same time, we cannot remain indifferent to what is happening in Gaza."
She added: "Stopping so many boats and people could be complicated for Israel, and international conventions are on our side. It is the duty of governments to protect us." Reports in the past have noted that some of the flotilla's initiators have close ties to the Hamas terrorist organization.
The organizers say their strategy is not only to burden Israeli security forces with numerous vessels, but also to place as many civilians from different countries on each boat as possible, to generate maximum international pressure in the event of arrests. Many details of the flotilla are being withheld "for safety reasons."
In recent months, several smaller "aid flotillas" have been attempted, including in May and July. The most notable effort involved the Handala ship, which carried Thunberg and European Parliament member Rima Hassan. Both were detained and deported by Israel, along with other activists on board.
Israel has repeatedly offered to transfer humanitarian supplies to Gaza through alternative channels, stressing that it will not allow unauthorized vessels to enter the Strip. Flotilla activists, however, have refused to abandon their plans.
