The Madleen, a vessel operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), set sail from Catania, Sicily, on June 1, embarking on a 2,000km (1,250-mile) journey to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The ship, carrying 12 activists including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, is expected to reach the Palestinian enclave by June 7, barring any disruptions.
Named after Gaza’s first and only fisherwoman, the Madleen symbolizes Palestinian resilience and global resistance to Israel’s blockade, which has crippled the region since 2007.
The flotilla’s mission responds to Israel’s intensified aid blockade since March 2, which has left 93 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents facing acute food shortages, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report.
The IPC warns that the ongoing restrictions could lead to further mass displacement as essential supplies dwindle.
The Madleen carries vital supplies, including medical equipment, flour, rice, baby formula, nappies, women’s sanitary products, water desalination kits, crutches, and children’s prosthetics.
The FFC emphasizes that all 12 crew members, trained in nonviolence, are unarmed and engaged in a peaceful act of civil resistance. They are:
Greta Thunberg – Swedish climate activist
Rima Hassan – French-Palestinian Member of European Parliament
Yasemin Acar – Germany
Baptiste Andre – France
Thiago Avila – Brazil
Omar Faiad – France
Pascal Maurieras – France
Yanis Mhamdi – France
Suayb Ordu – Turkiye
Sergio Toribio – Spain
Marco van Rennes – The Netherlands
Reva Viard – France
Speaking to Middle East Eye from international waters, she added, “We are currently on our way towards Gaza as part of the Freedom Flotilla mission. Spirits are very high.”
As of June 4 at 04:00 GMT, the Madleen was approximately 600km (375 miles) from Sicily, with its position tracked live by Forensic Architecture and a Garmin tracker.
On Tuesday night, a Hellenic Coastguard Heron drone was spotted 68km (42 miles) outside Greek territorial waters but later departed.
The mission follows a recent setback: on May 2, Israeli drones bombed another FFC vessel, Conscience, off Malta, damaging its engine and hull.
The Madleen’s voyage echoes past efforts to breach Israel’s blockade.
In 2010, Israeli commandos attacked the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish-led flotilla, killing nine volunteers.
The FFC remains undeterred, citing Israel’s policies of collective punishment and deliberate starvation as the impetus for their action.
With one in five Palestinians facing starvation and over 54,000 killed since October 7, 2023, the Madleen’s mission underscores a global call for humanitarian relief.