Climate activist Greta Thunberg has set sail for Gaza to “break Israel’s blockade.”
Ms Thunberg, Israel’s vocal rival to the Gaza war, boarded the Madleen ship, which included 11 other activists, including Liam Cunningham, Actor of Power actor and European MP Rima Hassan.
They left Sicily on Sunday with the goal of reaching the coast of Gaza and raising concerns about the plight of stripper civilians, who suffered a year and a half of intense bombing.
“The world cannot be a silent bystander. This silence and passivity we see from most parts of the world is fatal. We see a systemic hunger of 2 million people. Each of us has a moral obligation to do everything we can to fight for free Palestine,” Ms Thunberg, 22, said in a statement.
Ms. Hassan said the goal of the trip was to “condemn the humanitarian blockade and ongoing genocide, which is impunity to the State of Israel” and to raise international awareness.
Liam Cunningham reportedly wore Keffiyeh and Kneecap hats in Italy, reportedly a group of activists who sailed to Gaza (Fabrizio Villa)
The activists expect that if they don’t stop, they will take seven days to reach their destination. However, they are unlikely to reach Gaza, as Israeli authorities strictly control the waters of the enclave and are known for their ruthless dealings with invaders.
In 2017, the Israeli Navy shot and killed a Palestinian on a Gaza fishing boat in the Mediterranean, claiming that the ship ignored the warning gun and continued to deviate from its authorized area.
In 2010, nine pro-Palestinian militants were killed and dozens were injured when an Israeli commando unit raided aid fleet that attempted to violate the Gaza blockade. Despite the Israeli Navy blockade, the fleet attempted to deliver aid supplies to Gaza.
International prosecutors said Israeli soldiers may have committed war crimes during the incident, but ultimately believed the case was beyond their duty.
Madleen is run by Free Flotilla Coalition, a radical group that attempts to reach Gaza along the sea in early May.
However, this attempt failed when another ship of the organization (conscience) sailed in international waters along the coast of Malta. The team accused Israel of attacking the attack, which damaged the front of the ship.
“We are breaking the siege of Gaza at sea, but it is part of a broader strategy for mobilization and will also try to break the siege through land,” activist Thiago Avila said of the latest voyage.
Israel denies that the Liberal Alliance accused Israel of committing genocide in its war in Gaza.
