Activists sailing from Italy will once again try to break the Israeli siege on Gaza [Getty]
The Global Sumoud Fleet has completed preparations in Italy to set sail on Sunday in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip and deliver humanitarian aid, organisers said.
The civilian initiative, launched in 2025, brings together activists, volunteers, and representatives of civil society organisations from multiple countries. This is the flotilla’s second voyage as part of its “Spring Mission 2026”.
The vessels departed Barcelona on 12 April and arrived on 23 April in Sicily, where they joined other boats and finalised preparations at the port of Augusta.
On Saturday, activists loaded the ships with essential supplies including water, bread, fruit, vegetables, and fuel, while a Turkish delegation distributed sweets to participants during the final stages.
Maria Elena Dalia, the fleet’s spokesperson in Italy, said that preparations were complete.
She added that departure procedures would begin on Sunday afternoon, noting: “There are many vessels .. around 65 ships, so the process of departure may take some time, but we will finally set off on 26 April.”
Dalia said the fleet would initially head towards Greece due to regional tensions. “That will be our first stop given the unclear geopolitical situation in the Mediterranean due to the war between Israel and Iran. We will rely on intermediate stops to assess the situation,” she said.
Activist Abdel Latif Fasli, one of the participants, called for people around the world to support the flotilla in its mission.
“We have loaded everything we need onto the boats and ships, and if nothing unexpected happens at sea, we will set off tomorrow (Sunday), God willing, and continue our journey. We are waiting for your support,” he said.
Fasli stressed that the initiative had united participants from diverse backgrounds under a shared objective.
“People from all over the world have gathered here, with different personalities, views, ideologies, ideas, and political affiliations, and their aim is for the people of Gaza to gain their freedom,” he added.
The current mission follows an earlier attempt in September 2025, when 42 boats carrying 462 participants set off from Barcelona in an effort to reach Gaza. Organisers say the new initiative includes a larger number of participants and an updated strategy.
Members of the fleet say they are not deterred by the possibility of an Israeli attack, maintaining that their objective remains reaching Gaza.
On 1 October 2025, Israeli forces intercepted 42 vessels from the fleet in international waters as they headed towards Gaza, detaining hundreds of international activists on board before deporting them, including high profile participants such as Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza since 2007, which was tightened to a full siege during the genocidal war on the enclave which began in 2023. This caused famine across the Gaza Strip, leading to hundreds of deaths from starvation.
As of 2026, over 1.6 million Gazans (roughly 70–80% of the population) are still facing crisis-level hunger or worse, according to the UN.
Additionally, around 1.5 million people, out of a population of approximately 2.4 million, are now without shelter after their homes were destroyed by Israel in the war on the territory.
