Activists plan 200-boat flotilla to break Israel's blockade on Gaza

Pro-Palestinian activists, in coordination with civil society organisations, have announced plans to launch a new maritime campaign next month aimed at breaking Israel's blockade on Gaza.

The initiative brings together the Freedom Flotilla and the "Caravan of Steadfastness" in what organisers say will be a fleet of 200 boats set to sail on 12 April from Mediterranean ports in Spain, Italy and Tunisia.

Bülent Yıldırım, head of the Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), told The New Arab on Thursday that fundraising efforts were underway across Europe, Asia, Africa, Turkey and Gulf countries to purchase the vessels.

"It is important that we have more than 100 ships — God willing, 200", he said. "The more ships there are, the harder it will be for Israel to stop them. It may even become impossible. We have no option but the sea".

Around 200 civil society groups are expected to back the campaign, including the Mavi Marmara Association for Freedom and Solidarity, IHH and the Palestine Support Platform.

Organisers say thousands of participants from roughly 150 countries are expected to join.

Beyond delivering humanitarian aid, the flotilla also aims to bring medical personnel, teachers, infrastructure specialists, environmental engineers, lawyers and war crimes investigators to Gaza. More than 1,000 doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers are expected to take part.

The move comes amid an order by Israel’s Supreme Court to force dozens of NGOs to cease their operations across the occupied Palestinian territories, severely impacting humanitarian work for the more than 2.1 million displaced in Gaza.

Yıldırım said that despite the current ceasefire, Israel continued to kill Palestinians "from time to time", including children, and was restricting the entry of meaningful aid into Gaza.

"They want to normalise the killing of five or ten people a day instead of 200 or 300", he said. "If the world remains silent, Israel will escalate".

According to Gaza’s health ministry, at least 618 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire came into effect on 11 October last year.

Yıldırım accused Israel of obstructing aid deliveries and allowing only minimal food supplies into the besieged enclave, leaving the population to face hunger and disease.

Rights groups have monitored the entry of about 200 trucks daily into Gaza since the truce, a third of what was agreed upon by Israel in the ceasefire agreement.

"If we do not want to bear responsibility before God for these children and women, we must do everything we can", he said. "Restarting ship movements in the Mediterranean is one of the most important steps towards securing a real ceasefire".

He added that increasing the number of vessels would not only make it more difficult to intercept the convoy but could also pressure authorities to reopen key crossings, including the Rafah border with Egypt.

"Activists, doctors, teachers, parliamentarians and people of different faiths will be on board", he said. "With participants from around 150 countries, Israel would be confronting the world. We will not leave Palestinians alone”.

The announcement follows a similar attempt in October last year, when Israeli forces seized 41 vessels carrying around 400 participants from the Global Steadfastness Flotilla as it headed towards Gaza.

Organisers said the convoy was intercepted in international waters and described the move as a "war crime".

The incident sparked protests in several countries and drew condemnation from international organisations.

Amnesty International called for the protection of the flotilla, while the United Nations said the interception was “unacceptable”.

This will not be the first attempt to challenge the blockade by sea.

In 2010, Israeli forces stormed the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish vessel attempting to break the siege, killing and injuring several activists.

The incident triggered a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and Israel that was resolved years later with an Israeli apology and compensation to the victims’ families.

Gaza, home to around 2.4 million Palestinians, has been under Israeli blockade for 18 years.

Organisers say the planned April convoy represents the greatest coordinated maritime effort yet to challenge it.