Carrying aid—and defiance—the Freedom Flotilla’s latest mission to Gaza has been intercepted by Israel, but its message grows louder: the blockade must end.
Twelve international peace activists from across Europe and beyond set sail this week aboard the Madleen, a vessel loaded with humanitarian aid and a mission to defy Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza.
Their journey is part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a global civil resistance campaign aimed at ending the nearly 20-year siege on the Palestinian enclave. The campaign seeks not only to deliver aid but also to shine a global spotlight on the inhumanity of the blockade, which has left over 2 million Gazans in a humanitarian catastrophe.
Among the 12 participants are doctors, journalists, humanitarian workers, and veteran activists—all united by one goal: to break the silence and break the siege.
The Madleen is carrying food, medical supplies, and essential aid for the people of Gaza, who continue to endure a deepening crisis under Israeli bombardment and blockade.
The participants aboard the Madleen include:
- Greta Thunberg (Sweden) – Climate activist
- Liam Cunningham (Ireland) – Actor
- Rima Hassan (France) – Member of the European Parliament
- Thiago Ávila (Brazil) – Activist
- Yasemin Acar (Germany) – Activist
- Omar Faiad (France) – Journalist
- Baptiste André (France) – Physician and activist
Note: Some participant details are currently unavailable.
The vessel Madleen, which departed from the port of Catania, Italy, was stopped from approaching Gaza’s coast by Israeli authorities, citing longstanding maritime restrictions. But those aboard the ship say their mission is far from over.
“We expected this,” said French physician and activist Baptiste André from aboard the Madleen, “but it will not stop us. The flotilla’s message is humanitarian—we want the world to see the injustice and feel the urgency.”
Irish Senator Lynn Ruane, who joined the send-off in Sicily, called the mission “a beacon of hope in a dark time for humanity.” In a moving op-ed, she described the Madleen as “solidarity in motion” and warned that the world cannot afford to look away.
“What the Madleen carries is not just medicine and food—it carries the weight of conscience and the voice of millions trapped in Gaza. The people on board are risking their lives, and the world must not look away.”
The threat of interception or violence remains very real. Just last month, the aid ship Conscience was targeted by Israeli drone attacks near Malta. And the flotilla remembers all too well the 2010 Mavi Marmara tragedy, when 10 peace activists were killed by Israeli forces during a similar mission .
Despite these dangers, the participants remain resolute. “The world has failed to uphold international law,” said André. “And so we, as civil society, are left to act.”
As reports emerge of famine, mass displacement, and civilian deaths in Gaza, the pressure is mounting on Western governments to demand safe passage for humanitarian missions and hold Israel accountable for continued violations.
“There is no freedom without solidarity,” Ruane said. “And if governments stay silent, their silence will be complicit.”
With daily support messages pouring in from around the world, the activists aboard the Madleen insist that their voyage is about more than delivering aid—it’s about confronting injustice with courage.
“The seas may be blocked,but hope still sails.” ,André concluded