Meet 12 activists sailing to Gaza to break siege
The Madleen, a humanitarian aid vessel organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), has set sail from Sicily on a mission to deliver life-saving supplies to Gaza and challenge Israeli Occupation’s years-long blockade of the besieged Palestinian territory.
The ship departed the port of Catania on June 1, carrying a group of 12 international human rights activists and vital aid supplies. The mission was launched in direct response to Israeli Occupation’s total blockade of aid to Gaza since March 2, which has resulted in a worsening humanitarian catastrophe, including the starvation deaths of dozens of children.
According to aid organizations, over 90 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are facing acute food insecurity. The United Nations has warned that 100 percent of the population is on the brink of famine.
A Journey of Resistance
The Madleen is named after Madleen Kolab, Gaza’s first and only female fisherwoman — a symbolic tribute to both resilience and defiance.
The 2,000-kilometer (1,250-mile) journey to Gaza is expected to take seven days, barring any disruptions. The ship’s progress is being tracked in real time by Forensic Architecture, a research group monitoring the voyage via the vessel’s onboard tracking system. As of June 3 at 15:00 GMT, the Madleen was approximately 600 kilometers from Sicily.
The Madleen’s departure follows the May 2 'Israeli' drone attack on another Freedom Flotilla vessel, Conscience, in international waters off the coast of Malta. That strike blew a hole in the ship and set its engine ablaze.
Who’s On Board?
Twelve volunteers from across the globe are onboard the Madleen, including prominent activists and humanitarian workers:
- Greta Thunberg – Swedish climate activist
- Rima Hassan – French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament
- Yasemin Acar – Germany
- Baptiste Andre – France
- Thiago Ávila – Brazil
- Omar Faiad – France
- Pascal Maurieras – France
- Yanis Mhamdi – France
- Şuayb Ordu – Türkiye
- Sergio Toribio – Spain
- Marco van Rennes – Netherlands
- Reva Viard – France
“We are doing this because no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying, because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity,” said Greta Thunberg.
According to the FFC, all participants onboard have undergone nonviolence training and the voyage is an unarmed, peaceful act of civil resistance.
What Aid is Being Delivered?
The Madleen is carrying urgently needed supplies for Gaza’s embattled population, including:
- Medical equipment
- Flour and rice
- Baby formula and diapers
- Women’s sanitary products
- Water desalination kits
- Crutches and prosthetics for children
These items are crucial as hospitals collapse, food runs out, and clean water becomes almost nonexistent across the Gaza Strip.
A History of Risk and Resistance
This is not the first time a flotilla has attempted to challenge Israeli Occupation’s blockade.
In 2010, 'Israeli' commandos carried out a deadly raid on the Mavi Marmara, part of a flotilla carrying 10,000 tons of aid. Nine activists were killed in international waters. The Madleen now sails in the shadow of that tragedy and the more recent Conscience drone strike.
Gaza has been under an 'Israeli' land, sea, and air blockade since 2007. But since October 7, 2023, Israeli Occupation’s assault has intensified, with more than 54,000 Palestinians killed and more than 1.95 million people, about 93 percent of the population, facing acute food shortages, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
Despite the recent launch of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US- and 'Israeli'-backed aid initiative, distribution has reportedly collapsed into chaos. On May 27, the hub disintegrated within hours of opening, and multiple reports accuse 'Israeli' forces of firing on crowds gathered at aid distribution sites, killing over 100 Palestinians in the last eight days alone.
Israeli Occupation's Response
'Israel' announced on Monday its intention to block the ship saying in a brief statement that the 'Israeli' military is “enforcing the security maritime closure on Gaza and is preparing for a variety of scenarios,” without providing further details.
