Less than 500 km from the coasts of Gaza, the Soumoud flotilla continues its high tension crossing. After Spain and Italy, Greece decided to send a military ship to protect the convoy of international activists, regularly targeted by the Israeli army.
According to Nabil Chennoufi, member of the Maghreb coordination of the movement, the squadron is now 350 nautical miles from Gaza. The ships, who left Catania (Sicily), bring together eight boats carrying nearly 70 activists from more than twenty nationalities, including nine European and American parliamentarians. They sail as part of the international initiative to break the Gaza blockade, organized in partnership with Mille Madeline and the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
International expansion mobilization
Tensions increased after the ships had been targeted several times by Israeli drones and projectiles. In response, Madrid and Rome had dispatched military buildings to secure the crossing. Athens is now added to this naval coalition. At the same time, more than 200 European parliamentarians have called for immediate international protection for the flotilla.
The new wave of departures from Sicily marks an intensification of the maritime campaign. The flotilla intends to draw the attention of international public opinion to the blockade of Gaza. The presence of Western elected officials aims to increase the political legitimacy of this mobilization and to strengthen diplomatic pressure on the Zionist entity.