Gaza-bound aid ship sets sail from Italy in new bid to break Israeli siege

Tarek Chouiref |
Jul 20, 2025

Ship Handala is latest attempt by Freedom Flotilla Coalition to challenge Israel’s blockade on Gaza Strip

ISTANBUL

A Gaza-bound aid ship set sail from the southern Italian port of Gallipoli on Sunday morning, aiming to break a longstanding Israeli blockade on the Palestinian enclave.

“This mission is for the children of Gaza,” the organizers, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, said in a statement.

“In the face of genocide and deliberate starvation, every act of solidarity matters. As long as Israel enjoys impunity, violence will continue.”

The ship Handala, a repurposed 1968 Norwegian fishing trawler, is carrying medical supplies, food, and aid equipment for Palestinian children in Gaza.

It is crewed by around 20 international participants, including European lawmakers, rights activists, and journalists.

Organizers said the departure, initially scheduled for Friday, was postponed to Sunday due to “final technical and logistical preparations.” The ship is expected to navigate for approximately one week across the Mediterranean to reach waters near Gaza, covering a distance of around 80 kilometers.

The mission follows the Madleen voyage in June, which was intercepted by Israeli naval forces before reaching Gaza. The coalition emphasized that “intimidation and arrests will not stop this global wave of support for Palestinians.”

Among the Handala passengers are French lawmakers Emma Fourreau and Gabrielle Cathala from the France Unbowed (LFI) Party, Palestinian-American activist Huwaida Arraf, and American union leader Chris Smalls.

“We are fully aware of the risks, but they are nothing compared to what children in Gaza endure every day. We stand for peace and international law,” MEP Fourreau said in statements before departure.

The initiative comes amid a catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza after more than 20 months of war and total blockade.

Israel has killed nearly 59,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in the Gaza Strip since October 2023. The military campaign has destroyed the enclave, collapsed the health system and led to severe food shortages.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

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