Flotilla to Gaza launches with Greta Thunberg and Game of Thrones’ Liam Cunningham

Climate activist Greta Thunberg has set sail from Italy to the Gaza Strip  alongside other campaigners and celebrities, in a bid to break Israel’s months-long blockade on Gaza.

Thunberg is joined by the likes of 'Game of Thrones' actor Liam Cunningham, Palestinian-American lawyer Huwaida Arraf and EU parliament member Rima Hassan on the current sailing of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC).

Ahead of the ship’s departure on Sunday, the Swedish activist emphasised that "the world cannot be silent bystanders", as the "Madleen" has also disembarked with a cargo of humanitarian aid after the Israeli blockade which was enforced in March and only recently lifted. 

The FFC, a network of activist groups, has sent ships to the besieged Gaza Strip for over a decade in defiance of Israeli blockades.  

The latest voyage marks its second attempt in as many months to reach the territory. 

An earlier mission in May was aborted after another FFC vessel, the Conscience, was reportedly attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off the coast of Malta. 

The FFC accused Israel of carrying out the attack, which severely damaged the front of the ship.  

Thunberg - who gained global recognition for spearheading school climate strikes in her home country - had planned to join that voyage, but the damage forced her to postpone. 

Meanwhile, Rima Hassan- an outspoken figure from France’s left-wing party La France Insoumise (LFI) - said in a short video on social media that the voyage of the Madleen is both a protest against Israel and an attempt to deliver much-needed aid to Gaza. 

"The first [goal] being of course to reject the blockade of humanitarian aid, the ongoing genocide, the impunity enjoyed by the State of Israel and to raise global international awareness," she emphasised. 

Hassan was due to visit the occupied Palestinian territories in February as part of a European Parliament delegation, but said she was denied entry by Israel. 

Aid has begun to trickle back into Gaza in recent days, following mounting international criticism - including from some of Israel’s allies - over the deepening humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged territory. 

Humanitarian groups continue to warn that Gaza faces mass starvation after more than two months of an Israeli-imposed blockade on aid. 

Israel recently introduced a controversial new aid delivery mechanism in partnership with newly established US-backed organisation Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), bypassing the longstanding UN-led coordination system. 

The GHF claims to have distributed hundreds of thousands of meals since launching operations last week, however the rollout has been marred by chaotic scenes at the limited number of distribution centres. Israeli forces have also fired at Palestinians seeking aid, killing dozens.

On Sunday, Gaza authorities reported that Israeli fire near a GHF distribution centre in the southern city of Rafah killed at least 31 Palestinians.  

The UN- as well as several major humanitarian organisations and rights groups- have refused to collaborate with the widely-condemned group, arguing that it violates core humanitarian principles and appears to serve Israeli military aims. 

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 4,117 people have been killed in the territory since Israel resumed its offensive on 18 March. 

This brings the total number of Palestinians killed by Israel since October 2023 to 54,381, the majority of whom are civilians.