Greta Thunberg, the famous climate activist, is in the news again. She has become part of a dedicated and zealously determined group of activists on board the Madleen, one ship in the Freedom Flotilla. The vessel’s initial departure point was San Giovanni Li Cuti, a neighborhood of Catania, Sicily with a long history of solidarity with Gaza. The mission’s goal is to break Israel’s blockade and raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis that continues to spread through Palestine.
Thunberg first rose to global prominence after she started the world’s largest climate strikes from Sweden, imploring leaders to act on the climate crisis. She’s been wanting to get on a Freedom Flotilla ship for the past month and wasn’t able to make that happen. On this important journey, she’s joined by 11 other activists. They would have it designed to last a week at most, so long as they steer clear of getting caught.
During her speech prior to departure, Thunberg expressed her determination, stating, “We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying.” Her emotional testimony made clear the urgency of their mission as she fought back tears discussing the need to save supporters on the ground.
The Freedom Flotilla’s initiative is a part of the broader Global March to Gaza, which aims to highlight the dire situation in Gaza. This domestic effort is in contrast to the global initiative which welcomes all professionals to join, such as physicians, lawyers, and members of the media. Protestors want such actions taken to ensure that Israel stops its military operations and reopens its border so humanitarian relief can be delivered.
Joining the crew on this journey is actor Liam Cunningham, best known for his role on Game of Thrones. Or Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament of Palestinian origin who has joined the Palestinians’ liberation mission. Due to her activism, she has been subject to bans on her entering Israel. This is all because she has dared to speak out against the Israeli slaughter in Gaza.
Their mission is to bring emergency relief and supplies to people in Gaza, and to bring the world’s attention to the growing humanitarian crisis taking place there. As we wrote earlier this week, experts have warned the territory is on the brink of famine unless aid drastically ramps up. Conditions have deteriorated even further after almost 19 months of war. It suffered extensive damage from recent attacks on previous convoys, and every effort to cross has faced aerial bombardment.
Thunberg and her fellow activists are indeed “breaking the siege of Gaza by sea.” This campaign is only one slice of their broader campaign, which seeks to break the blockade by land.
“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 livestreamed genocide.” – Anonymous source