Latest news with #Handala
Al Bawaba
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Freedom Flotilla 'Handala' sails towards Gaza to break siege
ALBAWABA - Freedom Flotilla Coalition announced that a new ship called "Handala" will be sailing today, July 13, towards the Gaza Strip with the aim of breaking the blockade which was forced by Israel following the latest war. The Handala ship will be departing again from Siracusa, Italy, towards Gaza in an attempt to break the siege imposed by Israel, in an attempt to pressure Hamas to release hostages taken on Oct. 7, 2023. Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a global coalition highlighting the inhumanity of the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza, posted on X decrying what happened with the Madleen ship, which was paused by Israel before it reached Gaza, and announcing the launch of a new flotilla for the same mission. It wrote: "The Freedom Flotilla Coalition is setting sail again. Join us in Siracusa, Italy — or online — on July 13 at 10:30 CEST (GMT+2) as we launch 'Handala' on its journey toward Gaza." "Just weeks after Israeli forces illegally seized our boat 'Madleen' and abducted 12 unarmed civilians in international waters, we continue — with global solidarity — to challenge Israel's illegal and deadly siege." However, the FFC said that this time the mission aims to help starving children in Gaza, who are facing a lack of formula and basic needs. The coalition said in a social media post that they are "not governments," but they are people taking action where institutions have failed, stressing that they will not back down until the blockade is broken. We are setting sail again. On July 13, 2025 our boat #Handala will depart from Siracusa, Italy to break Israel's illegal blockade. This mission is for the children of Gaza. Just weeks ago, Israeli forces illegally seized our boat #Madleen and abducted 12 unarmed civilians aboard…
Roya News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
Freedom Flotilla's 'Handala' to set sail on new aid mission to starving Gaza
The Handala, a civilian vessel organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), is poised to depart from Syracuse, Italy, on July 13, 2025, embarking on a new mission to challenge the 'Israeli' naval blockade of Gaza and deliver desperately needed humanitarian aid. Named after the iconic Palestinian cartoon character by Naji al-Ali, symbolizing a barefoot refugee child who turned his back on injustice, the Handala carries a diverse group of activists, medics, lawyers, journalists, and humanitarian supplies. Its objectives are threefold: to break the protracted blockade, deliver vital aid, and express solidarity with the besieged population of Gaza. The ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where a complete blockade has been in place since March 2, 2025, marks the longest continuous closure in the blockade's history. Reports from the ground indicate widespread hunger, with nearly one in three people going entire days without food, and hospitals facing imminent shutdown due to fuel shortages. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has highlighted persistent strikes on civilians seeking aid and shelter, with a staggering 86% of the Gaza Strip now within 'Israeli'-militarized zones or under displacement orders since March 18. This voyage follows the interception of the FFC's previous vessel, the "Madleen," in June 2025, during which activists, including a Member of the European Parliament, were detained and deported by 'Israeli' forces. The FFC maintains that such actions in international waters are illegal and vows to continue its non-violent resistance. Participants on board the Handala represent a global grassroots movement, taking action where, as the FFC states, "institutions have failed." The ship itself has previously sailed to ports across Europe and the UK in 2023 and 2024, serving as a platform for awareness campaigns and political education about the blockade and the plight of Gaza's children, who comprise over half of the territory's population and have borne the brunt of the recent conflict. The international community's reactions to past flotillas have been mixed, with many countries condemning previous 'Israeli' interceptions and calling for investigations into incidents such as the 2010 Mavi Marmara raid, which resulted in the deaths of ten activists. While the complete and final list of all participants on the Handala for this specific voyage isn't always released publicly beforehand for security reasons, the FFC draws from a pool of dedicated volunteers who undergo a vetting process. Some individuals who have previously participated in FFC missions and may be on board or are closely associated with the current effort include: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jacob Berger (@jacobbergeractor)
Morocco World
4 days ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
Freedom Flotilla Launches New ‘Handala' Mission to Gaza
Rabat – In a daring development, The Freedom Flotilla Coalition has announced it is launching a new mission to Gaza on July 13. Named Handala, the mission is another civilian humanitarian vessel bound for Gaza, carrying emergency supplies and the unwavering solidarity of people worldwide. '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 Freedom Flotilla coalition said in a statement. The mission comes following the June 9 interception of Madleen. The world watched as the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) boarded the UK‑flagged civilian vessel in international waters, seized its humanitarian cargo, and abducted 12 unarmed volunteers, including MEPs, journalists, activists, and doctors. Among them were climate advocate Greta Thunberg, European Parliament member Rima Hassan, journalist Omar Faiad, and other peace activists, even though the mission was fully compliant with international maritime law Four of the 12, including Thunberg, Hassan, Toribio, and Faiad, were deported by June 12. The remaining eight endured illegal arbitrary detention in Israel, including solitary confinement, physical and psychological mistreatment, and harsh conditions before legal proceedings. Legal advocates and rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Adalah condemned the interception as a blatant violation of international law and the rights of civilians in pursuit of humanitarian relief. On the heels of this dramatic illegal interception and detention of unarmed civilians, as well as the loss of humanitarian cargo, the Handala is vowing to take up the Madleen's sunken flag with a vow to continue its mission. The Freedom Flotilla asserts that despite these illegal acts of force and suppression by the IOF, it will not back down. The vessel will carry onboard volunteer medics, lawyers, journalists, social justice activists, and organizers for its next mission, although the specific list of those set to sail has not yet been released. 'We are not governments. We are people, taking action where institutions have failed,' added the statement. These efforts come as the IOF continues its genocide on Palestinians in Gaza, including deliberately targeting aid seekers at aid distribution sites and civilians taking shelter in schools and hospitals. Tags: Freedom FlotillaGaza
Al Arabiya
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Gaza-bound aid flotilla to set sail again after previous ship seized by Israeli forces
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said it is going to set sail to Gaza once again to provide aid to Palestinians facing acute starvation, 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 July 13 as part of a renewed effort to break Israel's blockade on the besieged Gaza Strip. 'This mission is for the children of Gaza,' the coalition said in a post on X. It said the vessel is named after the Palestinian cartoon figure 'Handala' – a 10-year-old refugee boy who has come to symbolize Palestinian struggle. 'The children of Gaza – who make half of the population – have been living under a brutal blockade and siege for their entire lives,' the group said in a statement. 'All now face famine, disease, and trauma few of us can imagine.' According to a report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), one in five Palestinians in Gaza is facing starvation because of Israel's three-month long total blockade of the Strip. Israel eased the blockade partially in May, allowing some aid to go through. Some 1.95 million people, or 93 percent of the beseiged enclave's population, are facing acute food shortages. Volunteer medics, lawyers, social justice activists, journalists and community organizers are expected to be on board the vessel. Flotillas have in the past tried to break the blockade on Gaza. Israeli forces previously intercepted the aid ship 'Madleen' about 185 kilometers off the coast of Gaza and detained 12 activists on board, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. They were all later deported. Another aid ship while preparing to set sail to Gaza on May 2 was struck twice by armed drones, 25 kilometers off the Malta coast. The vessel called the 'Conscience' was significantly damaged in the attack, forcing the 30 activists to desperately throw out water to prevent the ship from sinking. Four people were injured.
Days of Palestine
6 days 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:
