Climate activist Greta Thunberg joins aid ship sailing to Gaza
The sailing boat Madleen – operated by activist group Freedom Flotilla Coalition – departed from the Sicilian port of Catania in southern Italy.
It will try to reach the shores of the Gaza Strip in an effort to bring in some aid and raise 'international awareness' of the ongoing humanitarian crisis, the activists said at a press conference on Sunday, ahead of their departure.
'We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying,' Ms Thunberg said, bursting into tears during her speech.
'Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity. And no matter how dangerous this mission is, it's not even near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the live-streamed genocide.'
Israel, which was founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust, has adamantly rejected genocide allegations against it as an antisemitic 'blood libel'.
In mid-May, Israel slightly eased its blockade of Gaza after nearly three months, allowing a limited amount of humanitarian aid into the territory.
Experts have warned that Gaza is at risk of famine if more aid is not brought in.
The boat is heading to Gaza (Salvatore Cavalli)/AP
UN agencies and major aid groups say Israeli restrictions, the breakdown of law and order, and widespread looting make it extremely difficult to deliver aid to Gaza's roughly two million Palestinians.
Among those joining the crew of the Madleen are Game Of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent. She has been barred from entering Israel due to her active opposition to the Israeli assault on Gaza.
The activists expect to take seven days to get to their destination, if they are not stopped.
Ms Thunberg, who became an internationally famous climate activist after organising massive protests in her native Sweden, had been due to board a previous Freedom Flotilla ship last month.
That attempt to reach Gaza by sea, in early May, failed after another of the group's vessels, the Conscience, was attacked by two alleged drones while sailing in international waters off the coast of Malta.
Greta Thunberg is among those sailing to Gaza (Salvatore Cavalli/AP)
The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship, in the latest confrontation over efforts to send assistance to the Palestinian territory devastated by nearly 19 months of war.
The Israeli government says the blockade is an attempt to pressure Hamas to release hostages it took during the attack on October 7 2023 that triggered the conflict.
Hamas-led militants assaulted southern Israel that day, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Hamas is still holding 58 hostages, 23 of whom are believed to be alive.
In response, Israel launched an offensive that has killed more than 52,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians.
Israel's bombardment and ground operations have destroyed vast areas of the territory and left most of its population homeless.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Why so many Thai nationals are among the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza
Israel has announced the retrieval of the body of Nattapong Pinta, a 35-year-old Thai national taken hostage during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Pinta was among 31 Thais abducted during the assault that triggered the ongoing conflict. Thailand's foreign ministry confirmed Pinta's death in a statement on Saturday, noting that he was the last Thai hostage held in Gaza. The ministry added that the bodies of two other Thais killed in the conflict have yet to be recovered. According to the foreign ministry, 46 Thais have died since the start of the war. Thai citizens comprised the largest group of foreign nationals held captive by Hamas, and were among tens of thousands of Thai workers residing in Israel at the time of the attack. Why are there so many Thais in Israel? Israel once relied heavily on Palestinian workers, but it started bringing in large numbers of migrant workers after the 1987-93 Palestinian revolt, known as the first Intifada. Most came from Thailand, and Thais remain the largest group of foreign agricultural laborers in Israel today, earning considerably more than they can at home. Thailand and Israel implemented a bilateral agreement a decade ago to ease the way for workers in the agriculture sector. Israel has come under criticism for the conditions under which the Thai farm laborers work. A Human Rights Watch report in 2015 said they often were housed in makeshift and inadequate accommodation and 'were paid salaries significantly below the legal minimum wage, forced to work long hours in excess of the legal maximum, subjected to unsafe working conditions and denied their right to change employers.' A watchdog group found more recently that most were still paid below the legal minimum wage. How many Thai nationals work in Israel? There were about 30,000 Thai workers, primarily working on farms, in Israel prior to the attack by Hamas. In the wake of the attack, some 7,000 returned home, primarily on government evacuation flights, but higher wages than those available at home have continued to attract new arrivals. The Thai ambassador to Israel, Pannabha Chandraramya, recently said there are now more than 38,000 Thai workers in the country. What happened after some left? Faced with a labor shortage in the wake of the exodus, Israel's Agriculture Ministry announced incentives to try to attract foreign workers back to evacuated areas. Among other things, it offered to extend work visas and to pay bonuses of about $500 a month. Thailand's Labor Ministry granted 3,966 Thai workers permission to work in Israel in 2024, keeping Israel in the top four destinations for Thais working abroad last year. Thai migrant workers generally come from poorer regions of the country, especially the northeast, and even before the bonuses, the jobs in Israel paid many times what they could make at home.
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Gaza Freedom Flotilla urges UK Government to 'protect' ship
Members of the humanitarian coalition are currently en route to Gaza on the Madleen ship, which is expected to arrive within the next 24 hours. The vessel flies a UK flag, meaning that it falls under the jurisdiction of the UK Government. There are 12 volunteers on the ship, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, as well as other volunteers from France, Turkey, the Netherlands, Spain, Brazil and Germany. READ MORE: UK won't recognise Palestine at UN conference despite 'discussions', reports say The ship set off from Sicily on June 1 and its live tracker shows that it has almost reached Gaza. In a statement shared in the early hours of Saturday, the group said: "The 'Madleen', a UK-flagged civilian ship en route to Gaza, is protected under international maritime law. "As a vessel flying the British flag, it falls under the jurisdiction and responsibility of the UK government, which has a legal duty to defend 'Madleen' and the civilians on board, and to prevent unlawful interference - including any threat or use of force - by foreign powers such as Israel." The coalition called on the UK Government to issue a public warning to Israel that any action against the Madleen is "unacceptable and unlawful" and to act to protect the rights and safety of those onboard the vessel. The group also urged the UK Government to "comply with its legal duties" to "prevent genocide" and to "[reject] the legitimacy of Israel's blockade and actively supporting efforts to deliver humanitarian aid and uphold international law". It comes after crew on the Madleen issued an alert after a drone was spotted flying over the vessel on June 3 as it was more than 1000km from Greek waters. The drone was later identified as a Helenic Coast Guard Heron surveillance drone, which the coalition said is used as part of a wider military and intelligence partnership between Greece, Cyprus and Israel. READ MORE: 'Joy, celebration and warmth' of Palestinian art to be showcased at Edinburgh Fringe Israeli news outlets are reporting that Israel is preparing to block the vessel from entering Gaza. According to the Times of Israel, the Israeli navy is monitoring the boat's route and plans to intercept the vessel if it continues to Gaza. The newspaper adds that the UK Government is monitoring the situation and that it has reportedly asked Israel to vouch for the safety of the Madleen and those on board. The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Why were so many Thai farmers among the hostages held by Hamas?
Israel says it has retrieved the body of a 35-year-old Thai hostage who was abducted into Gaza during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war. Nattapong Pinta was among 31 Thais taken by the Hamas militant group. Thailand's foreign ministry in a statement Saturday confirmed that Pinta, the last Thai hostage in Gaza, was confirmed dead. It said the bodies of two others have yet to be retrieved. The ministry has said 46 Thais have been killed during the war. Thais were the largest group of foreigners held captive by Hamas. They were among tens of thousands of Thai workers in Israel. Here's a look at what they were doing. Why are there so many Thais in Israel? Israel once relied heavily on Palestinian workers, but it started bringing in large numbers of migrant workers after the 1987-93 Palestinian revolt, known as the first Intifada. Most came from Thailand, and Thais remain the largest group of foreign agricultural laborers in Israel today, earning considerably more than they can at home. Thailand and Israel implemented a bilateral agreement a decade ago to ease the way for workers in the agriculture sector. Israel has come under criticism for the conditions under which the Thai farm laborers work. A Human Rights Watch report in 2015 said they often were housed in makeshift and inadequate accommodation and 'were paid salaries significantly below the legal minimum wage, forced to work long hours in excess of the legal maximum, subjected to unsafe working conditions and denied their right to change employers.' A watchdog group found more recently that most were still paid below the legal minimum wage. How many Thai nationals work in Israel? There were about 30,000 Thai workers, primarily working on farms, in Israel prior to the attack by Hamas. In the wake of the attack, some 7,000 returned home, primarily on government evacuation flights, but higher wages than those available at home have continued to attract new arrivals. The Thai ambassador to Israel, Pannabha Chandraramya, recently said there are now more than 38,000 Thai workers in the country. What happened after some left? Faced with a labor shortage in the wake of the exodus, Israel's Agriculture Ministry announced incentives to try to attract foreign workers back to evacuated areas. Among other things, it offered to extend work visas and to pay bonuses of about $500 a month. Thailand's Labor Ministry granted 3,966 Thai workers permission to work in Israel in 2024, keeping Israel in the top four destinations for Thais working abroad last year. Thai migrant workers generally come from poorer regions of the country, especially the northeast, and even before the bonuses, the jobs in Israel paid many times what they could make at home.
