A new Global Sumud Flotilla mission, a humanitarian sea expedition headed for the Gaza Strip with the stated goal of delivering aid and challenging the blockade imposed by Israel, departs today from the port of Barcelona.

Around 70 boats and over a thousand activists from around seventy countries are participating in the initiative organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), the Global Movement to Gaza, the Maghreb Sumud Flotilla, and Sumud Nusantara (an Asian mission with the participation of the Malaysian government). This initiative comes amid escalation in the Middle East, and as negotiations in Islamabad for a fragile truce in the conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran have ended without agreement .

According to activists, while international attention is focused on the broader conflict in the Persian Gulf, "Israel has intensified its blockade of Gaza, restricting aid flows, expanding settlements, and accelerating a process of territorial expropriation." The flotilla, described by its promoters as "the largest civilian maritime mission in support of Palestine," follows a previous expedition last September .

Open Arms founder Oscar Camps noted that the shipment is carrying "medicines and food" and has the primary goal of "bringing what is happening in Gaza back into the media spotlight."

"The flotilla will most likely be intercepted before 100 miles from the coast" of Gaza, the Open Arms founder warned, but he reiterated the activists' determination. "We are willing to take this risk because the context is not the same as last time," he assured.

(Unioneonline)

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