A group of human rights organizations is set to send a flotilla of four ships to Gaza from Istanbul next week, in a challenge to Israel’s blockade on the Palestinian enclave, activists announced on Friday.
Members of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) spoke from a dockyard in Istanbul’s Tuzla, on board the Akdeniz ship, one of the four vessels that will embark on the journey.
They expressed determination to reach Gaza despite Israel’s threats.
The press conference was attended by activists from various civil society organizations including Ann Wright and Huwaida Arraf from the US Boat to Gaza, Wendy Goldsmith from the Canada Boat to Gaza, Torstein Dahle from FFC Norway, Zaher Birawi from International Committee for Breaking the Siege on Gaza, Zohar Chamberlain Regev from FFC, Carlos Trotta from Doctors Without Borders, Fauziah Mohd Hasan from Malaysia My Care, Medea Benjamin from the US group Code Pink, and Suzanne Adely from the US National Lawyers Guild.
This initiative evokes memories of the Mavi Marmara incident in 2010 when an attempt to break the Israeli siege on Gaza resulted in the deaths of ten people after the Israeli army raided the ship in international waters. The incident strained Turkish-Israeli diplomatic relations significantly.
This time, the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), the primary organizer of the coalition, has undertaken extensive preparations, including the acquisition of three ships.
Two ships are designated for activists, while a third, currently docked in Turkey’s Iskenderun, will carry 5.5 tonnes of humanitarian aid.
Another ship is expected to join from Italy.
Approximately 1,000 people will participate in the voyage, accompanied by 100 journalists with internet and satellite connections.
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"Desperately needed" they're being flooded with aid and now even cigarettes, the grift is real.
@P4rtisanDickRepublican2yrs2Y
Exactly, how about getting aid to genuine refugees such as the 13.5 million in Syria who are forgotten by the world because…
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
How do you feel about the use of flotillas to deliver aid, knowing it could provoke international incidents?
@9LQDFL32yrs2Y
forces had fled the Strip and were no longer able to provide security on the Palestinian side.
I’m sad that we won’t see pro-genocide congressmen running for their lives in the halls of Capitol Hill. But I’m really glad they are going to be doing this!
@SquirrelSarahSocialist2yrs2Y
What would break the siege ... is if Gazans stopped Hamas from starting any more wars with Israel. No wars or terrorism would result in nothing to retaliate to.
But since Hamas clearly stated their goal is that they will never end the war until they've wiped Israel and the Jews off the map (which equates to genocide).
This ensures that there will be no end to the war ... as Israel is never going to lay down and die for anyone. There has been numerous opportunities for peace & Hamas has made sure none of them have been taken.
Turkey just openly aligned with Hamas, so CODEPink is in the right boat. These "Freedom Flotillas" are provocations for PR only. The last time it happened, a bunch of people got killed. Not a good look for a "Peace delegation.
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
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