Gaza: An activist from Germany aboard the Madleen, a vessel attempting to breach an Israeli blockade to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, declared that the volunteers' presence is a direct response to their governments' continued support of Israel's actions against the enclave.
According to Anadolu Agency, Yasemin Acar, the activist, shared in a video posted on her Instagram account: "Bombing hospitals, bombing children, these war crimes we have been watching for 20 months, and this is why we are here. We are here because our governments are not doing this. We are here because our governments are continuing to uphold this genocide, the illegal blockade on Gaza."
Acar explained that the aid ship is nearing Gaza and reported that four Israeli vessels surrounded the Madleen, with two coming within 200 meters. "This has never happened before in the past eight days, so this was why we sounded the alarm again," she stated, adding that the presence of the Israeli vessels suggests psychological warfare.
She emphasized that the mission's purpose is not merely to save Palestinians but to express solidarity with them. "Palestinians will free themselves," Acar asserted. "We are just here in solidarity-to tell them they are not alone, that we will use our bodies, our solidarity, and everything we have to challenge this illegal blockade and end the starvation."
Acar called on global citizens to pressure their governments to halt arms transfers to Israel, stating, "This cannot go on. This is not a world we should want to live in, and it's not the world we should leave behind to our children."
The Madleen carries 12 people, including 11 activists and one journalist. Notable figures aboard include Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan, and several other international activists and journalists.
The mission, organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, embarked from Catania, Italy, on June 1. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had previously warned the Freedom Flotilla, instructing the military to "do whatever is necessary" to prevent the Madleen from reaching Gaza's shores. Israeli military spokesperson Effie Defrin confirmed preparations to intercept the aid vessel.
The Freedom Flotilla Foundation, which organized the mission, represents a global initiative aiming to end the Israeli blockade on Gaza. Earlier this year, the Conscience ship, another vessel organized by the foundation, was attacked by unmanned aerial vehicles off Malta's coast, highlighting the ongoing risks faced by such humanitarian missions.