An international aid vessel carrying Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and 11 other campaigners has reached Egyptian waters en route to Gaza, organizers confirmed Saturday. The Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departed Sicily last week carrying relief supplies to challenge Israel's naval blockade of the Palestinian territory.
"We are now sailing off the Egyptian coast and remain in good spirits," German activist Yasemin Acar told AFP. The mission follows multiple attempts by humanitarian groups to deliver aid via sea since Israel imposed its blockade in March 2023, which UN agencies say has left Gaza's 2.3 million residents at risk of famine.
European Parliament member Rima Hassan, aboard the vessel, called on governments to "ensure safe passage" for the mission. Organizers warned that intercepting the ship would violate international law, referencing Israel's deadly 2010 raid on the Turkish Mavi Marmara that killed 10 activists during a similar effort.
The voyage has already faced challenges: Crew members rescued four Sudanese migrants from a sinking boat near Crete earlier this week before transferring them to EU authorities. In May, another flotilla ship reported a drone attack near Gaza waters without casualties.
As global scrutiny intensifies over Gaza's humanitarian crisis, this latest mission tests both maritime blockades and international resolve to address what the UN calls "catastrophic" living conditions.
