Toni Albir / EPA
Strong Mediterranean winds forced the flotilla to Gaza that carried humanitarian aid and hundreds of Pro-Palestinian activists, including environmentalist Greta Thunberg and Left Bloc leader Mariana Mortágua to return to Barcelona.
The flotilla with about 20 boats Which departed on Sunday in the Spanish city had to return to the port of Barcelona due to adverse weather conditions, the expedition organizers announced on Monday.
The trip aims to “open a humanitarian corridor and end the genocide underway against the Palestinian people” in the context of the war between Israel and Hamas, says the NGO. Sumud is the Arab term for “resilience”.
“Due to insecure weather conditionsWe took a sea test and then returned to Porto to allow the storm to pass, ”the organization said in a statement quoted by, which does not specify the exact time that the boats returned to Barcelona.
“This meant postpone our departure to avoid complications with the smaller vessels, ”adds the statement, which states that they have been gusting that exceeded the 55 km/h.
“We have made this decision to give priority to the safety and well-being of all participants and to safeguard the success of our mission,” the organization points out.
The Spanish press reports that the organizers would meet later this Monday to decide the expedition resumed.
Among the activists, coming from dozens of countries, are the Swedish activist Greta Thunbergthe coordinator of the Left Block, Mariana Mortáguathe activist Miguel Duarte and the actress Sofia Aparício.
FLOYILHA also brings Gaza the actors Liam Cunningham (Ireland) and Eduard Fernández (Spain), as well as European deputies and public figuresincluding former mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau.
Flotilha should arrive in Gaza in mid -September and follows two previous attempts to deliver aid To the devastated Palestinian territory, blocked by Israel in June and July.
The United Nations declared Hunger situation in Gazawarning that 500,000 people face “catastrophic” conditions.
The war was triggered by the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas against Israel on 7 October 2023, which resulted in Death of 1,219 peoplemostly civilians, according to an AFP balance based on official data.
Palestinian terrorists It also captured 251 hostagesof which 47 remain in Gaza, including 25 that, according to the Israeli army, will have already died.
To offensive of Israeli retaliation has already caused at least 63,459 dead Palestinians, mainly civilaccording to numbers from the Ministry of Health controlled by Hamas in Gaza, which the UN considers reliable.
