Gaza-bound aid flotilla to set sail again after previous ship seized by Israeli forces
The group confirmed that its next boat, named 'Handala' will depart from the Italian port of Siracusa on July 13 as part of a renewed effort to break Israel's blockade on the besieged Gaza Strip.
'This mission is for the children of Gaza,' the coalition said in a post on X.
It said the vessel is named after the Palestinian cartoon figure 'Handala' – a 10-year-old refugee boy who has come to symbolize Palestinian struggle.
'The children of Gaza – who make half of the population – have been living under a brutal blockade and siege for their entire lives,' the group said in a statement.
'All now face famine, disease, and trauma few of us can imagine.'
According to a report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), one in five Palestinians in Gaza is facing starvation because of Israel's three-month long total blockade of the Strip. Israel eased the blockade partially in May, allowing some aid to go through.
Some 1.95 million people, or 93 percent of the beseiged enclave's population, are facing acute food shortages.
Volunteer medics, lawyers, social justice activists, journalists and community organizers are expected to be on board the vessel.
Flotillas have in the past tried to break the blockade on Gaza.
Israeli forces previously intercepted the aid ship 'Madleen' about 185 kilometers off the coast of Gaza and detained 12 activists on board, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. They were all later deported.
Another aid ship while preparing to set sail to Gaza on May 2 was struck twice by armed drones, 25 kilometers off the Malta coast. The vessel called the 'Conscience' was significantly damaged in the attack, forcing the 30 activists to desperately throw out water to prevent the ship from sinking. Four people were injured.
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