Flotilla leaves Barcelona in biggest attempt yet to break Israeli blockade of Gaza

Twenty ships with more than 300 crew members, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and Irish actor Liam Cunningham, departed from the port of Barcelona on Sunday to Gaza in an effort to establish a humanitarian corridor.

The Global Sumud Flotilla will be the fourth attempt to break the maritime blockade so far this year, it is the largest attempt yet to break the long-standing Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory by sea.

Among the crew of the flotilla is Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who has said that "little by little every day people are waking up to this genocide" and criticises the world's silence in the face of Israel's disregard for international law.

Irish actor Liam Cunningham, known for his role in the series "Games of Thrones," will also take part. In a news conference before the departure in Barcelona, Cunningham played a video showing a girl singing while planning her own funeral. The girl, Fatima, died four days ago, he said.

“What sort of world have we slid into where children are making their own funeral arrangements?” the Irish actor told reporters.

The former mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, was also present at the farewell ceremony. He highlighted the city's historic commitment to the Palestinian cause, recalling that Barcelona was "the first city in Europe to break off institutional relations with Israel".

Spanish actor Eduard Fernández also showed his support, describing each boat as "a cry for dignity." Spain was one of the first countries to recognise the State of Palestine, in May 2024.

Meanwhile in the Italian city of Genoa, a food drive raised the collection of more than 300 tonnes of humanitarian aid. Ships carrying the aid departed from the city and will join the expedition in the coming days.

On Saturday, 40,000 people took part in a torchlit march in the city to celebrate the flotilla.

The mayor of Genoa, Silvia Salis, also took part in the march, declaring herself "proud to be the mayor of this city, but tonight even more so."

Representatives of the Democratic Party and the Greens and Left Alliance have shown their support and called on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government to guarantee protection for Italian citizens heading for Gaza.

In Portugal, participation in the flotilla has generated political controversy. Mariana Mortágua, MP and coordinator of the Left Bloc, along with activist Miguel Duarte and actress Sofia Aparício, are part of the Portuguese crew.

Mortágua hoped that her parliamentary immunity could be useful for the mission, but Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel clarified that "parliamentary immunity does not confer diplomatic immunity" and that the Portuguese government "has no obligation to protect nor accompany" the humanitarian flotilla under international law.

However, the crew members will receive consular protection, which is applicable to any Portuguese citizen.

"The Portuguese state uses consular protection if there is any problem," Rangel reassured.

Flotilla objectives and denunciation of Israel's offensive in Gaza

Flotilla spokesperson Saif Abukeshek explained that the mission seeks to establish a humanitarian corridor to Gaza, where more than 63,000 people were killed by Israel, many of them children. According to his testimony, the lack of water, electricity and food in the Palestinian territory "is intentional," as is the bombing of hospitals and schools.

Around 70 boats are expected to take part in the final leg of the journey, Abukeshek told Spanish public television after the departure. The fleet could reach Gaza around Sept. 14 or 15, he added.

German human rights activist Yasemin Acar, a member of the steering committee, said the flotilla will be joined by more boats setting off from Greece, Italy and Tunisia.

Acar also condemned the killing of journalists in Gaza and accused several countries of being complicit in what he described as genocide.

Government backing and background

The initiative received backing from the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, who affirmed that Spain will provide "all the necessary protection" for its Spanish crew members.

He emphasised that the Spanish government has long been calling for unrestricted access to Gaza for humanitarian workers and pledged the same level of consular support that was extended to previous flotillas.

Nevertheless, the mission faces troubling precedents. In the past, Israeli military forces have intercepted other flotillas attempting to reach Gaza, including the well-known Freedom Flotilla. Israeli forces had forcefully boarded the vessel, confiscating medical supplies and food intended for Palestinians in Gaza.

Despite these risks, the organisers remain resolute: "We don’t know what’s going to happen, but we are absolutely certain we will organise again."