Latest news with #Handala
Days of Palestine
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
'Freedom Flotilla' Launches New Mission to Gaza
DaysofPal – The Freedom Flotilla Coalition announced it is preparing to launch a new aid mission to the besieged Gaza Strip, just weeks after Israeli forces intercepted and seized one of its vessels in international waters. In a statement shared on X, the coalition confirmed that its next boat, named 'Handala,' will depart from the Italian port of Siracusa on 13 July. 'The mission is for the children of Gaza,' the coalition declared, emphasizing the symbolic significance of the mission's name. The vessel is named after Handala, the iconic cartoon figure of a 10-year-old boy created by Palestinian artist Naji al-Ali, widely recognized as a symbol of Palestinian resistance and steadfastness. This announcement comes on the heels of the seizure of the 'Freedom Ship' (Madeleine) by Israeli forces at dawn on a Monday earlier this month. The ship, carrying humanitarian aid and international peace activists, was intercepted while sailing in international waters en route to Gaza in a bid to challenge Israel's 17-year-long blockade of the coastal enclave. The 'Madeleine' had set sail in early June from the Italian port of Catania, carrying 12 international activists, including Al Jazeera Mubasher journalist Omar Fayyad. On board were critical supplies of food, medicine, and medical equipment intended for civilians in Gaza who have been enduring one of the world's worst humanitarian catastrophes. The Israeli military later confirmed that the ship had been seized and transferred to one of its ports, in what human rights advocates have condemned as a violation of international maritime law. This was not the coalition's first attempt to defy Israel's naval blockade. The 'Madeleine' was the 36th vessel launched as part of the Freedom Flotilla, an international civil society campaign that has sought to break the siege on Gaza since it began in 2007. The vessel was named in honor of Madeleine Kulab, a young Palestinian woman who became the first female professional fisher in the Gaza Strip. She lost both her father and her livelihood in the wake of Israel's war on Gaza, which escalated drastically in October 2023. Her story has since become a powerful symbol of resilience under occupation and siege. Shortlink for this post:
The National
7 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
Freedom Flotilla Coalition to launch new Gaza aid ship
Named Handala after a 'symbol of Palestinian resistance', the boat will depart from Siracusa, Italy on July 13 in a new attempt to challenge Israel's blockade of Gaza. The vessel will carry humanitarian aid to Palestinians currently under siege by Israeli forces. READ MORE: IDF soldier speaks out about being ordered to kill unarmed civilians in Gaza The mission follows a recent Israeli attack on another FFC boat, the Madleen, which was intercepted in international waters. Onboard were 12 unarmed civilians, including a member of the European Parliament, a physician, and several journalists. All were detained, interrogated, and deported by Israeli forces for attempting to deliver food to Gaza, where the population faces mass starvation due to aid supplies being denied entry and mass shootings being carried out at food distribution centres. Despite this, FFC insists it will not back down, saying 'We are not governments. We are people,' calling out the global community's failure to act. READ MORE: Anas Sarwar 'must cut ties' to Tony Blair think tank linked to 'sickening' Gaza plan More than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since October 7 2023, more than half of whom were women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The coalition has also condemned deadly aid distributions managed by the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, calling it a "death trap masquerading as aid." Handala has already visited ports across northern Europe and the UK. Aboard the boat are volunteer medics, lawyers, activists, and journalists. Their goal to deliver aid, raise awareness, and call for an end to a genocidal blockade. 'This mission,' says the coalition, 'is for the children of Gaza.'
Middle East Eye
a day ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Freedom Flotilla to sail for Gaza again after earlier ship seized
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition says it is preparing to launch another aid mission to Gaza, weeks after Israeli forces seized one of its vessels in international waters. The group confirmed that its next boat, named Handala, will depart from the Italian port of Siracusa on 13 July in a renewed effort to challenge Israel's blockade of the coastal enclave. In a post on X, the coalition said, 'The mission is for the children of Gaza.' The vessel is named after Handala, a cartoon figure of a 10-year-old boy who has come to symbolise Palestinian resistance. Israeli forces previously intercepted the aid ship Madleen about 185km off the Gaza coast, detaining 12 activists on board, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. All were later deported.
Roya News
a day ago
- Politics
- Roya News
After 'Israeli' raid of Madleen, Freedom Flotilla launches new Gaza-bound vessel Handala
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) announced Sunday that it will launch a new mission on July 13, sending the vessel Handala toward Gaza in a direct challenge to what it calls Israel's 'illegal, deadly blockade' of the coastal enclave. The boat, named after the iconic Palestinian cartoon character representing resistance and exile, will carry humanitarian aid and a delegation of civilians determined to break through the ongoing siege. Onboard will be volunteer medics, human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, and community organizers from around the world. 'The vessel will carry life-saving humanitarian aid and a message of solidarity from people around the world refusing to stay silent as Gaza is starved, bombed, and buried under rubble,' the coalition said in a press statement. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Freedom Flotilla Coalition (@gazafreedomflotilla) This latest mission comes just weeks after a previous flotilla boat, the Madleen, was reportedly seized by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) in international waters. According to the coalition, twelve unarmed civilians aboard that ship, including a Member of the European Parliament, a doctor, and several journalists, were detained, interrogated, and eventually deported. Their alleged offense, the coalition states, was 'attempting to bring food, medicine, and solidarity to Palestinians under siege.' The launch of Handala follows a deadly escalation in Gaza that began on March 18, when 'Israel' resumed its military campaign. Since then, Gaza's Health Ministry reports at least 6,572 Palestinians killed and more than 23,000 wounded. Among the casualties are over 700 individuals reportedly shot while waiting for food at distribution points run by the US and 'Israel'-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a system the FFC accuses of being 'a death trap masquerading as an aid scheme.' Named after a barefoot child refugee who turned his back to the world in the artwork of Palestinian cartoonist Naji al-Ali, Handala has already visited numerous ports across Northern Europe and the UK in 2023 and 2024, where it served as a floating platform for awareness campaigns, art installations, and political education. 'This mission is for the children of Gaza,' the coalition said, highlighting that more than half the population of Gaza are minors. 'Since October 2023, over 50,000 have been killed or injured, tens of thousands orphaned, and nearly a million forcibly displaced and homeless. All now face famine, disease, and trauma few of us can imagine.' The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which has challenged 'Israel's' naval blockade since 2010, emphasizes that its efforts are civilian-led and grassroots in nature. 'We are not governments,' the coalition stated. 'We are people, taking action where institutions have failed.'
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel may still have the Madleen aid boat. But organizers are already planning their next journey to Gaza
The Madleen, a boat seized by Israeli forces while en route to Gaza, might still be stuck in a port off the coast of Israel. But the activists who piloted it are busy planning their next attempt — albeit with a different boat. Named after a famous fisherwoman in Gaza, the Madleen set sail from Italy, aiming to deliver a symbolic amount of aid and draw attention to the plight of the enclave, which has been devastated by 20 months of war. It was the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC)'s 36th such expedition since 2008. But while the group waits to hear from officials on the boat's status, Zohar Chamberlain Regev, an FFC member, is in Sicily, fixing up a different boat for another expedition to Gaza. The group had attempted to sail this vessel, called the Handala, from Norway to Gaza in 2024. That trip ended early in Malta, as they felt the boat was too old to make the journey. But they'll soon attempt it again, from Sicily. "Our … main goal is to send a message of solidarity and encouragement to the Palestinian resistance, to the millions of people under occupation," Regev told CBC News. WATCH | Madleen Kolab says she was honoured the boat was named after her: Over the years, many of the FFC's boats have been seized by Israeli forces. Getting them back involves time in court — and even then it isn't guaranteed. The Madleen is the third boat for which Regev will have to appear in court. The Frankfurt-based Israeli citizen, who is its registered owner, says she hasn't yet heard anything from authorities. "But whenever they do [reach out]," she says, "I'll tell them that this boat was on its way to Gaza; they had no business taking it." The group's first five expeditions, which were all in 2008, were the only ones to successfully make it to Gaza and sail back out. From 2009 onwards, Regev says no boat has been able to reach the enclave's shores. "Some boats were rammed at sea and then rescued; some boats were returned by the occupation to their owners." She says the group has reused the boats that have been returned, or sold them to fund future activities. The aid on board typically doesn't make it into Gaza, either, the FFC says. Regev says she has no information on the supplies aboard the Madleen. Israeli authorities did not respond to CBC's requests for comment on the aid. But they previously told Reuters that it would be sent to Gaza through what they called "real humanitarian channels." Despite the many unsuccessful attempts, Regev says she is steadfast in the pursuit of the coalition's goals. "We do this because we appreciate the freedom that we have to actually do things," she said. "It's much more terrifying to me to think that there's a genocide going on, committed by my own people, and I sit here safely and do nothing." (Israel has consistently denied it is committing genocide in Gaza.) She didn't elaborate on the group's strategy for their upcoming trip. But she said the coalition will continue to try sailing its boats to Gaza until the Israeli blockade on the strip is lifted. For 31-year-old Madleen Kolab, the ocean has been her life since she was a little girl learning how to fish from her father. After he fell ill when she was 13, she assumed his position. She says she is the first and only fisherwoman in Gaza. "I was honoured that they wanted to use my name for the boat," she told CBC freelance videographer Mohamed El Saife, as they walked along the shore of a beach in Gaza City. The mother of four is pregnant with her fifth child, and says she can barely find food to feed her kids. The war has made it too dangerous for her to fish, she says, and she has trouble paying for essentials, as the cost of food in Gaza has skyrocketed. She had closely watched her namesake boat's journey, and had anticipated its arrival, along with its promised aid. "We were very sad when we heard the boat was intercepted," she said. "If the boat arrived, it meant life to us." Kolab sat on the sand as the tide washed in. Across the Mediterranean in Sicily, Regev was preparing her group's 37th flotilla to set sail. Though the two women are tied together by one cause, they live in strikingly different realities. "I hope that when it sails, the war will be over, the siege is broken," said Kolab, "and we can see it."
