THE Madleen ship, part of the Freedom Flotilla launched from Italy, is approaching the shores of Gaza amid concerns that the Israeli occupation army may violently target it. Despite these fears, those organising the voyage remain determined to continue their journey to break the blockade!
Thiago Avila, a member of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, said on Saturday that international coordination had been conducted to ensure the protection of participants aboard Madleen as it heads towards Gaza. He emphasised that they anticipate a violent attack by Israeli forces on the ship.
Avila explained that all participants have been trained on how to react if Israel insists on trying to kill them, stressing that they are committed to breaking the blockade on Gaza and delivering humanitarian aid.
The Madleen ship carries food, medicine, and water for the residents of the enclave.
Activists aboard the Madleen broadcast excerpts from a message to the people of Gaza on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, saying: ‘You deserve life, freedom, peace, and justice… We will not stop until Palestine is liberated… And the only sound on the morning of Eid will be the sound of Eid itself.’
Last Wednesday, Israel’s Broadcasting Authority reported that the Israeli government had decided to prevent the Madleen, which set sail from Italy in an attempt to break the Gaza blockade, from approaching or docking at Gaza’s shores.
According to the Authority, there was initially an inclination to allow the ship to reach Gaza as long as it did not pose a security threat, but the decision was later reversed ‘to prevent setting a precedent that might be repeated’.
The ship is carrying 12 people, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and Irish actor Liam Cunningham.
Previously, in early May, the ship was attacked by a drone while attempting to break the blockade, causing a hole in its structure and a fire at its front.
Meanwhile, a convoy of thousands of volunteers is set to depart from Tunisia today, heading toward the Rafah border crossing to demand an end to the Israeli genocide, break the siege, and deliver humanitarian aid.
The Coordinating Committee for Joint Action for Palestine in Tunisia, said that a Maghreb land convoy, including thousands of volunteers, ‘will set off from the capital Tunis and the cities of Sousse (east), Sfax, and Gabès to the southern city of Ben Gardane, en route to the Gaza Strip. The journey will pass through Libya and Egypt to express solidarity with the besieged Palestinian people in Gaza and to deliver humanitarian aid.’
The committee added: ‘Participants in the convoy will head to the Ras Jedir border crossing on the Tunisian-Libyan border, then travel along the Libyan coastal road to Cairo, and finally reach the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian-Palestinian border to deliver messages of solidarity and aid to the people of Gaza.’
The land convoy will include union and political figures, as well as human rights activists, lawyers, doctors, journalists, and members of youth organisations.
On May 31, Wael Nawar, spokesperson for the ‘Caravan of Steadfastness’, reported that thousands of people from Tunisia and other Maghreb countries had joined the convoy.
He added: ‘The convoy will include delegations from Mauritania, Morocco, and Algeria, as well as thousands from Tunisia and Libya. We will head directly to Cairo, then to Al-Arish in Egypt, and finally to Rafah (in southern Gaza).’
He confirmed that as of May 30, more than 7,000 people of various Maghreb nationalities had registered to join the convoy.
According to local media sources, Israeli forces also continued yesterday to detonate more homes and displace families in the Gaza Strip, further deepening the dire humanitarian crisis as the population grapples with worsening famine.
The Israeli army also committed a horrifying massacre on Saturday when a warplane bombed a house belonging to the family of Abu Shari’ah in Gaza City’s as-Sabra neighbourhood. Many of the casualties are women and children, according to Palestinian media reports.
The powerful worldwide trade union movement cannot just stand by as Israel prepares to kill as many freedom fighters as possible.
The international trade union movement must call general strikes to support the liberation movement by bringing down the UK, EU and US governments. There is no other way forward. Call general strikes now! Forward to the State of Palestine!