A humanitarian vessel carrying 12 activists, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, has reached the coast of Egypt and is now sailing closer to Gaza, according to organisers from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
The vessel, named Madleen, departed from Sicily last week carrying aid intended for Palestinians in Gaza, as part of a wider effort to challenge Israel’s long-standing maritime blockade. German human rights activist Yasemin Acar told AFP on Saturday that the ship was “off the Egyptian coast” and all those on board were in good condition.
In a statement issued from London, the International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza, which is part of the flotilla coalition, confirmed that the Madleen had entered Egyptian territorial waters. The group said it remains in close contact with international legal and humanitarian organisations to ensure the crew’s protection, warning that any attempt to stop the vessel would represent “a flagrant breach of international humanitarian law.”
European Parliament member Rima Hassan, one of the passengers, appealed to world governments to safeguard the flotilla’s journey and ensure the vessel reaches its destination safely.
Israel has maintained a naval blockade around the Gaza Strip for years, which intensified following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that triggered the current conflict. The blockade has been enforced with military force in the past, including a deadly 2010 raid on the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish aid ship that resulted in the deaths of 10 civilians.
In May this year, another vessel affiliated with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Conscience, was targeted by a drone strike while en route to Gaza. Cyprus and Malta deployed rescue vessels after receiving a distress signal, though no casualties were reported.
During its current voyage, the Madleen also diverted to assist a migrant rescue operation near the Greek island of Crete. Activists on board responded to a distress signal from a sinking vessel and saved four Sudanese migrants who had leapt into the sea to avoid being returned to Libya. The rescued individuals were later transferred to a European Union Frontex ship.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, established in 2010, is composed of various groups opposed to the inhumane restrictions Israel has imposed on humanitarian access to Gaza. Although Israel formally imposed the blockade on March 2, it has only partially relaxed the controls since then.
Israel continues to face sharp criticism over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the United Nations has warned that over two million residents are at risk of famine.
