LIVE UPDATES: Tracking Madleen Gaza freedom flotilla, arrival expected June 7

As the boat Madleen enters its seventh day at sea, nearing the coast of Gaza, activists onboard say their mission is not just about aid, but a statement against global inaction.

“We arrive on Monday, and to be honest, this mission should not even exist,” said Thiago Ávila, an activist on the boat, in a video posted to Instagram. “It should be governments doing this. It should be the countries that signed the UN Charter, the Rome Statute, and the Convention against Genocide. It should be international organizations leading efforts like this, not everyday people like us.”

The Madleen is part of a civil initiative aimed at breaking the blockade on Gaza by creating what the activists call a “people’s humanitarian corridor.” The initiative comes amid an ongoing 'Israeli' siege and genocide in Gaza.

“For three months now, Palestinians have been without any food. After 82 days of total blockade, not a single drop of water, not a single bag of rice has entered Gaza,” Ávilat said.

Despite threats from 'Israeli' forces, the activists continue to document their journey. “When governments fail, we sail,” Ávilat added, emphasizing their belief in the responsibility of civil society to act where international bodies have, in their view, remained silent.

They described the crisis in Gaza as “a genocide and ethnic cleansing” that has lasted for eight decades, and pointed to what they called “a colonial apartheid state” driven by “a racist and supremacist ideology called Zionism.”

The Madleen is expected to reach Gaza on Monday.

Activists say the spotlight should remain on the Palestinian people, not on the boat itself. “We’re not even the story,” the activist said. “The story is the Palestinian people’s survival.”

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, in partnership with Forensic Architecture, has equipped the vessel Madleen with an advanced tracking system, known as the Madleen Tracker.

This cutting-edge technology offers real-time location updates, playing a vital role in safeguarding those on board. It also promotes transparency by publicly sharing the vessel’s movements and helps hold potential aggressors accountable for any hostile actions.

The Madleen Tracker exemplifies how innovative tools can enhance safety and oversight in maritime missions amid ongoing regional tensions.

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.

 

Gaza Freedom Flotilla has diverted its course after receiving a mayday call from a nearby vessel in distress, according to a social media update from one of the activists on board.

“We just received a mayday call for a search and rescue situation, and we are changing our course to provide any assistance we can!” said Thiago Ávilaone, an activist aboard the Madleen, in an Instagram post on Thursday.

The Madleen is a humanitarian flotilla aiming to deliver aid to Gaza and raise international awareness of the 'Israeli' blockade on the coastal enclave. The incident occurred during the flotilla’s fifth day at sea, while it was traveling in international waters.

Ávilaone said the vessel was located approximately two hours away from the Madleen's current position. “Life is a priority to us,” he added, explaining why the crew made the immediate decision to alter their route.

The Madleen is part of a multi-national civil society effort attempting to break the blockade on Gaza. Similar flotillas in the past have faced interception by 'Israeli' naval forces before reaching the Gaza coast.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Irish actor Liam Cunningham are among the prominent figures preparing to sail aboard the “Madleen” in a renewed effort by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) to challenge "Israel’s" ongoing blockade of Gaza.

Departed June 1 from Catania, Sicily, carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza amid a severe blockade lasting over 90 days.

Cunningham, widely known for his role as Davos Seaworth in Game of Thrones, has long spoken out on human rights issues, including his support for Palestinian causes.

This marks the second attempt in recent weeks by the FFC—a coalition of international humanitarian organizations—to reach Gaza by sea. Their previous mission was aborted in early May after another vessel, the “Conscience,” sustained serious damage in what the group described as a drone attack by "Israel" while the ship was navigating international waters near Malta.

Speaking in a video posted to social media, Hassan described the Madleen’s voyage as both a humanitarian effort and a political statement.

“The first [goal] being of course to reject the blockade of humanitarian aid, the ongoing genocide, the impunity enjoyed by the State of Israel and to raise global international awareness,” she said. “This action is also in response to the attack that took place on May 2 against the previous ship that took place in international waters near Malta.”

Although "Israel" slightly relaxed its months-long blockade last week, aid entering Gaza has remained extremely limited.

This week saw deadly chaos at new aid distribution points managed by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an effort backed by "Israel" and the US. At least three Palestinians died and dozens were injured as crowds overwhelmed the distribution sites. Major humanitarian organizations, including the UN, have refused to participate in the initiative, accusing "Israel" of politicizing aid and using food as leverage in the conflict.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued stark warnings, stating that a quarter of Gaza’s population is now experiencing catastrophic levels of hunger, marked by acute malnutrition, disease, and rising death tolls.