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02 Jun, 2025

International nonprofit organisation Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) said one of its vessels left the Italian port of Catania on Sunday, heading for Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid after a previous attempt failed due to a drone attack on a separate ship in the Mediterranean.

The crew of volunteers, including climate activist Greta Thunberg and Irish actor Liam Cunningham, set sail on the Madleen, carrying barrels of what the group called “limited amounts, though symbolic,” relief supplies.

Another vessel operated by the group, the Conscience, was hit by two drones just outside Maltese territorial waters in early May. FFC said Israel was to blame for the incident. Israel has not responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.

“We are doing this because no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity,” Thunberg told reporters at a conference before the departure.

She added that “no matter how dangerous this mission is, it is nowhere near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the lives being genocided.”

FFC said the trip “is not charity. This is a non-violent, direct action to challenge Israel’s illegal siege and escalating war crimes.”

The situation in Gaza is the worst since October 7, 2023, the United Nations said on Friday, despite a resumption of limited aid deliveries in the Palestinian enclave. Under growing global pressure, Israel ended an 11-week blockade on Gaza, allowing limited UN-led operations to resume.

On Monday, a new avenue for aid distribution was also launched — the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation — backed by the United States and Israel, but with which the UN and international aid groups have refused to work, saying it is not neutral and has a distribution model that forces the displacement of Palestinians.

Comments

mba Jun 02, 2025 02:34pm
Young Greta remains a source of inspiration, also for an old man like me. I dare repeat my question (more for sake of information than critics): What are we, as well as our political, cultural, and business leaders are doing for their suffering Muslim sisters and brothers in Gaza? Something is surely being done. I request Dawn to report on such initiatives as well.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Jun 02, 2025 04:28pm
Great move and excellent news. Keep it up and hang on tough.
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Laila Jun 02, 2025 05:03pm
Without armed and military intervention from outside community, Israel won't stop. The thousands ongoing protests/marches, academic/corporate/economical/political/cultural boycotts, sit ins, public debates, rise in anti semitism, ostracism helped to a degree. It got people talking, spread awareness and brought global solidarity and support for Palestinians. It did not end Israels warfare. They only became more defiant, stubborn and persistent. So personally I reached the conclusion they won't stop untill somebody physically stops them. Israel want Gaza. Israel can't have Gaza.
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Ali Jun 02, 2025 10:03pm
Salute to the young activist daring to break the siege of genocidal Israel. And shame on all nation states and specially neighbouring countries who have their heads in the sand like an ostrich.
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Laila Jun 03, 2025 07:05am
We can only hope, wise from previous experience, this Gaza aid flotilla has taken all necessary precautions to avoid what happened to the 3 British Pakistani women part of a Gaza aid flotilla in March 2013, who were raped by Libyans, while their father was forced to watch. Dawn also covered this news (March 30, 2013 article 'British women of Pakistani origin gang raped in Libya) Kindly protect your aid workers and make sure to cover all possible situations. You leave together and you return together. This should befall nobody. Stay safe, humanitarian and human rights workers and activists.
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