Gaza aid flotilla departs from Barcelona

A flotilla of around 40 boats set sail for Gaza from Barcelona on Wednesday in a renewed attempt to break the Israeli blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to the enclave, according to organisers, News.Az reports, citing AFP.

The Global Sumud Flotilla had originally been scheduled to depart on Sunday but was delayed due to adverse weather conditions.

The vessels, mostly sailboats, departed shortly after 11:30 a.m. (0930 GMT), organisers said in a statement.

Around 20 additional boats that will join the maritime convoy left the French port of Marseille on April 4, while more vessels are expected to depart from Syracuse in Sicily on April 24.

A week-long stopover is planned in southern Italy, where participants will undergo “non-violence training,” organisers added.

The flotilla, named “Sumud,” meaning “resilience” in Arabic, is expected to bring together hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists from dozens of countries.

In late 2025, a previous flotilla of about 50 boats—including political figures and activists such as Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg—was intercepted by the Israeli navy, an action organisers and Amnesty International described as unlawful. The crew members were detained and later expelled by Israel.

The Gaza Strip, governed by Hamas, has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007. Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating a ceasefire that came into effect on October 10, 2025, following two years of conflict.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev