Activists launch Gaza-bound flotilla from Spain to challenge Israeli blockade

Global Sumud Flotilla Steering Committee members attend a press conference as humanitarian flotilla prepares to depart for Gaza, from Barcelona on 12 April 2026

Reuters reports in Haaretz on 12 April 2026:

A flotilla of about 30 boats carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza was set to depart Sunday from Barcelona, as pro-Palestinian activists seek to challenge Israel’s naval blockade and open a maritime route for aid deliveries.

About 30 boats are expected to sail under the Global Sumud Flotilla initiative, carrying medical supplies and other aid, with additional vessels due to join en route to Gaza.

The initiative is part of a wider coalition of pro-Palestinian activist groups that have coordinated repeated maritime attempts in recent years to break Israel’s naval blockade of the territory.

Israel imposed a naval blockade on the Gaza Strip in 2007, after Hamas took control of the territory, citing security concerns and the need to prevent weapons smuggling. The restrictions have tightened over time, particularly following the October 7 attack. Numerous attempts have been made to break the blockade since then, including in 2010, when Israeli forces boarded the Mavi Marmara, a Gaza-bound ship, in an incident that left ten activists dead.

The current departure follows the Global Sumud Flotilla’s attempt last October, when Israeli forces intercepted around 40 vessels and detained more than 450 participants, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, before deporting those on board.  That effort was part of a broader series of coordinated flotilla initiatives involving multiple pro-Palestinian groups, which organizers have described as a growing international campaign of maritime civil action aimed at breaking the blockade.

Israel, which controls access to the Gaza Strip, says it allows humanitarian aid into the territory. Palestinian officials and international aid organizations, however, say deliveries remain insufficient despite a cease-fire reached in October that included commitments to expand aid flows.

The World Health Organization has said that even during armed conflicts, states are obligated under international humanitarian law to ensure access to medical care.

Actor Liam Cunningham, who starred in Game of Thrones and supports the flotilla but is not participating, told Reuters: “Every kilogram of aid that is on these ships is a failure,” adding that participants are “doing what their governments are legally obliged to do” by delivering humanitarian supplies.  Saif Abukeshak, a Palestinian activist and member of the flotilla’s organizing committee, said the mission aims to “open a humanitarian corridor so the aid delivery organisations can arrive.”

Swiss and Spanish activists involved in last year’s flotilla said they were subjected to inhumane conditions during their detention by Israeli forces, allegations denied by Israel’s Foreign Ministry.

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