Barcelona, Spain – In a high-stakes effort to break the naval siege of the Gaza Strip by Israel and deliver much-needed humanitarian aid, the Global Sumud Flotilla, a multi-national fleet of humanitarian vessels, has set sail in Barcelona.
The departure of the flotilla coincides with a second wave of violence in Gaza and a provocative scheme of a senior Israeli minister to annex most of the occupied West Bank, which adds to the already explosive political situation.
The flotilla, which organizers call the largest humanitarian maritime mission ever convened, includes more than 50 boats loaded with medical supplies, food, and activists representing more than 44 countries.
Celebrities like climate activist Greta Thunberg and actor Liam Cunningham are involved in the mission. On Sunday, when the convoy left, thousands of people in Barcelona greeted it, shouting “Free Palestine! and “Boycott Israel!”
The first attempt at sailing by the flotilla was, however, postponed by a strong wind, and the boats were forced to revert to port before a second attempt. The spokesman of the flotilla, Saif Abukeshek, projects that the fleet may arrive in Gaza about September 14 or 15. The Israeli forces have, in the past, intercepted similar attempts in international waters.
Annexation Plan Ignites Regional Condemnation
The mission of the flotilla takes place against the background of increasing political tension. The far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of Israel has announced a proposal to annex almost 82 percent of the occupied West Bank.
During a press conference in Jerusalem, Smotrich said, “It is time to implement Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria (West Bank) and eliminate once and forever the concept of partitioning our small land. He plans to have the greatest land with the least number of Arabs and claims that a Palestinian state can never exist in the land. The proposal has been promptly and vehemently criticized by the Palestinian Authority, Arab nations, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, who have threatened that such a step would only heighten tensions in the region and negatively impact the two-state settlement, which has long been seen as the only solution.
Israeli settlements in the West Bank are deemed illegal under international law by the international community. The United Nations has issued multiple warnings that further settlement expansion undermines the feasibility of a two-state solution, which the International Court of Justice has also echoed, declaring in July last year that the occupation by Israel of Palestinian territory is illegal and urged it to evacuate all settlements.
Mounting Casualties and Man-Made Famine
The humanitarian conditions in Gaza are worsening, and the latest rounds of Israeli assaults have caused massive deaths. Recent Israeli attacks killed at least 67 Palestinians. The victims are 11 aid seekers on the verge of a food distribution point in Rafah, which is a terrible event that underscores the great risk to the lives of civilians who come to collect food.
The man-made famine has killed at least six more people, including one child, because of the ongoing conflict and extreme limitations on aid.
The Health Ministry of Gaza estimates that over 63,700 Palestinian lives have been lost in the war since October 2023, and over 161,200 more people were wounded. The ministry also estimated that 367 people, including 131 children, have died as a result of the famine.
The UN-supported Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has already announced famine in some areas of Gaza and anticipates its extension to the south. This is worsened by the fact that most of the victims are still stuck under rubble, and rescue operations cannot access them as the hostilities continue.
