Sumud Flotilla expands in Italy as fleet size surpasses last year, marking a major escalation in Gaza-bound aid efforts. [Getty]
The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) has expanded significantly in Italy, with its fleet now surpassing last year’s size, marking a major expansion of its efforts to deliver aid to Gaza.
In a statement sent to The New Arab on Thursday, organisers confirmed the flotilla has grown by 50%, with 25 additional boats set to join vessels sailing from Barcelona at Marina di Siracusa. The fleet is expected to depart on Friday.
According to GSF, the international coalition now includes more than 100 boats.
After stopping at several Mediterranean ports, the flotilla plans to continue towards Gaza as part of what it describes as “the largest maritime mission in history” aimed at breaking Israel’s decades-long blockade by delivering humanitarian aid.
The development follows an incident on Monday in which activists from the flotilla disrupted the MSC Maya, a cargo vessel they alleged was transporting materials linked to Israeli weapons production to the ports of Ashdod and Haifa.
Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera reported that the ship is operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company, which has reportedly handled hundreds of shipments connected to Israeli settlements.
Recent hostilities in the Middle East, triggered by the outbreak of the US–Israel war on Iran on 28 February, have heightened concerns about the risks surrounding the mission.
Activists have publicly warned that the current voyage could be more dangerous than previous attempts due to increased security threats.
Last year’s mission, involving nearly 50 vessels, was intercepted in international waters north of Egypt, just days before a ceasefire was reached in Gaza on 10 October.
Israeli naval forces boarded the vessels, seized the boats, and detained activists, journalists and politicians on board, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.
Those detained were later released from Israeli custody and returned to their home countries.
Since 2010, all flotillas attempting to break the blockade have been intercepted or attacked by Israel in international waters. In May 2010, Israel raided civilian ships that were part of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, killing 10 activists.
The Gaza Strip, under an Israeli blockade since 2007, has faced a severe humanitarian and health crisis, intensified by Israel’s genocidal war on the territory since 7 October 2023, which has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians.
