A 46-boat humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza will reach what organisers describe as an Israeli interception zone as early as Wednesday, according to the Global Sumud Flotilla mission coordinating the vessels.
The flotilla, an international initiative aimed at delivering humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and challenging the Israeli blockade, was approximately 150 nautical miles from the high-risk zone on Tuesday, organisers stated. The mission expects to arrive at Gaza’s coast by Thursday.
Israel has pledged to prevent the flotilla from reaching Gaza’s coast, claiming the mission receives financing from Hamas. Israeli authorities have not provided evidence for the funding allegations.
Italy’s largest trade union, CGIL, has pledged to call a general strike if the flotilla is attacked or activists are arrested, escalating domestic political pressure on the Italian government.
The Italian government has endorsed a mediation proposal presented last week for the flotilla to divert to Cyprus, where aid could potentially be distributed to Gaza through the Jerusalem Patriarchate led by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa. The flotilla has rejected this proposal, instead calling for the establishment of a permanent humanitarian corridor to reach Gaza directly.
Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza since 2007, controlling the movement of goods and people into and out of the coastal territory. The restrictions have intensified since Hamas militants attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages.
Israel’s attack on Gaza since October 2023 has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children, according to Gaza health authorities. The sustained bombardment has caused widespread destruction of infrastructure, whilst creating famine in the area.
Previous flotilla attempts to reach Gaza have resulted in confrontations with Israeli forces. In 2010, Israeli commandos boarded the Mavi Marmara vessel in international waters, resulting in the deaths of 10 Turkish activists and causing a diplomatic crisis between Israel and Turkey.
The Global Sumud Flotilla represents one of the largest coordinated maritime efforts to challenge the Gaza blockade, with vessels carrying participants from multiple countries alongside humanitarian supplies.
(Picture: REUTERS/Stefanos Rapanis)
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