Gaza flotilla with Greta Thunberg on board departs Barcelona

Climate activist Greta Thunberg is sailing from Barcelona, Spain, toward Palestine in a flotilla that aims to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The Swedish environmental activist, who gained international recognition for her blunt criticism of world leaders over global warming, tweeted early Monday that she was on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.

“Together with a bunch of other people from different countries and backgrounds, we decided to join this maritime protest to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian crisis Palestinians are subjected to,” Thunberg tweeted. “The Israeli regime ‘s ongoing occupation and apartheid is unacceptable.’

What's Next?

The group intends to raise awareness and prompt policymakers to take action and find a solution for the Gaza Strip, which is suffering from a severe humanitarian crisis. The flotilla, which carries medical supplies, toys, and construction materials, among other things, is scheduled to arrive in Gaza in the coming days, despite threats of violence and arrests by the Israeli government.

Context

The Israeli government has been accused of obstructing the flotilla and intimidating the participants. This is not the first time that Thunberg has participated in such an action. She joined the Freedom Flotilla in 2018, which was also intended to draw attention to the crisis in Gaza. At that time, the flotilla was intercepted by the Israeli military, and Thunberg and the other passengers were detained.

This time, the Israeli government has issued a statement saying that it will not allow the flotilla to reach Gaza, and that any attempt to do so will be met with force. “Israel‘s policies and practices towards the Palestinians are unjust and violate their human rights,” said Thunberg. “And that ‘s why we’re here,”