Rome – Climate activist Greta Thunberg and the other 11 activists will come up on Sunday afternoon for Gaza on a ship aimed at “breaking the headquarters of Israel” in the devastated territory, the organizers said.
The Madleen sailboat – operated by the activist group Freedom Flotilla Coalition – will start from the Sicilian port of Catania, in southern Italy.
He will try to reach the banks of the Gaza Strip in order to provide aid and raise awareness of “international awareness” on the current humanitarian crisis, militants said at a press conference on Sunday, before departure.
“We are doing this because, no matter what chances we are, we must continue to try,” said Thunberg, sinking into tears during his speech.
“Because the moment when we stop trying is when we lose our humanity. And no matter how dangerous this mission is, it is not even as dangerous as the silence of the whole world in front of the live genocide,” she added.
Israel, which was founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust, Grinded genocide allegations Against this as an anti -Semitic “blood defamation”.
In mid-May, Israel slightly attenuated its Gaza blockade after almost three months, granting a limited amount of humanitarian aid in the territory.
Experts warned that Gaza Risk of famine If no more aid is not provided.
The United Nations agencies and the main aid groups claim that Israeli restrictions, the rupture of the law and the order and the widespread looting make it extremely difficult to provide aid to approximately 2 million Gaza Palestinians.
Among those who join the Madleen crew are the actor of “Game of Thrones” Liam Cunningham and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian origin. She was prevented from entering Israel because of her active opposition to the Israeli assault on Gaza.
Activists expect to take seven days to go to their destination, if they are not arrested.
Thunberg, who became an international renown climate activist after organizing massive adolescent demonstrations in his native Sweden, was to go on a previous Flillala ship flatilla last month.
This attempt to reach Gaza by sea in early May, failed after another of the group’s ships, “conscience”, was attacked by two alleged drones while he was sailing in international waters off the coast of Malta.
The group blamed Israel for the attack, who damaged the frontal section of the ship, in the last confrontation on efforts to send aid to the Palestinian territory devastated by almost 19 months of war.
The Israeli government says that the blockade is an attempted pressure from Hamas to release the hostages it took during October 7, 2023, which sparked the conflict. The activists led by Hamas attacked southern Israel that day, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians and removing 251. Hamas still holds 58 hostages, 23 of whom are considered alive.
In response, Israel launched an offensive that killed more than 52,000 Palestinians, mainly women and children, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. The bombing of Israel and ground operations have destroyed vast areas of the territory and have left most of its homeless population.
The Flatilla group was only the last one among a growing number of criticisms to accuse Israel of genocidal acts in its war in Gaza. Israel vehemently denies allegations, claiming that his war is addressed to Hamas activists, not the civilians of Gaza.
“We break the seat of Gaza by sea, but that is part of a wider mobilization strategy that will also try to break the seat on the ground,” said activist Thiago Avila.
Avila has cited the next world march in Gaza – an international initiative also open to doctors, lawyers and the media – which should leave Egypt and reach Rafah crossing in mid -June to organize a demonstration there, asking Israel to stop the Gaza offensive and to reopen the border.
