‘Freedom Flotilla’ sets sail from Sicily in new bid to break Gaza siege with wide international participation

ROME, Sept. 27 (YPA) – The Freedom Flotilla Coalition and the ‘A Thousand Madelenas to Gaza’ movement announced on Saturday the launch of a new flotilla comprising 10 boats from the San Giovanni li Cuti port in Catania, Sicily, in a renewed effort to break the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip.

The flotilla includes approximately 70 activists from over 20 nationalities, according to the organizers, among them parliamentarians from Belgium, Denmark, the European Union, Ireland, France, Spain, and the United States, aiming to deliver a message of solidarity with the Palestinian people.

In a joint statement, the coalition and the movement affirmed that the launch represents a “direct challenge to the blockade and a declaration of solidarity,” emphasizing that their mission is not charity but “part of a global struggle to end the apartheid system and affirm the Palestinian right to freedom.”

The statement noted that this initiative comes at a “critical moment” as “Israel” continues its relentless bombardment of Gaza while “Western governments continue to supply it with weapons and shield it from accountability.” This wave is an extension of a long series of similar initiatives, all of which have faced previous attacks by the Israeli military.

The flotilla includes prominent political and cultural figures, among them current and former ministers, members of parliament, trade unionists, and artists.

YPA