A flotilla of ten vessels departed Saturday from Sicily, southern Italy, en route to Gaza, in a coordinated effort by activists to challenge Israel’s maritime security measures, AFP reported.
According to organizers, 60 individuals are aboard, including elected officials from nine countries.
The initiative is led by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) and the Thousand Madleens to Gaza (TMTG), who declared their intention to “break the illegal Israeli blockade” and deliver humanitarian aid to the Hamas-controlled territory.
“For the most part, our boats carry medical supplies, dry food and school equipment, as this was highlighted as some of the biggest priorities by Palestinians on the ground,” the groups stated.
The flotilla aims to join the Global Sumud Flotilla, which is also headed toward Gaza with aid cargo.
Among the participants are members of the European Parliament and officials from Belgium, France, Ireland, Spain, and the United States.
Global Sumud, which includes environmental activist Greta Thunberg among its participants, claims to be an independent group not affiliated with any government or political party. The mission’s journey has been complicated by at least two alleged drone attacks while the ships were docked off the coast of Tunisia.
Tunisian authorities initially denied the presence of any drones in the area, but later reversed course and claimed that the vessels were targeted by a “premeditated attack”.
The United Nations on Wednesday called for an investigation into the alleged drone attacks which the activists have blamed on Israel.
Thunberg was previously deported by Israel in June after taking part in another flotilla, the Madleen, which was intercepted by the IDF.
The activists were then given food and water, despite many of them having prepared prerecorded videos claiming that they were “kidnapped” by the IDF.
The Foreign Ministry said that the Gaza aid aboard the Madleen included less than a single truckload of aid, and it would be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels.