Handala, a vessel operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, is poised to embark on a significant mission from Siracusa, Italy, aiming to challenge the Israeli blockade of Gaza. Scheduled to launch on July 13, 2025, this initiative seeks not only to deliver essential humanitarian aid but also to convey a message of solidarity with the Palestinian people . The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza has been exacerbated by the blockade and recent military actions that have resulted in numerous casualties since March 2025. The Handala's journey represents both a logistical challenge and a symbolic act of defiance against these oppressive conditions.
Italy Sunday in hopes of breaking the siege on Gaza. Chris Smalls, founder of Amazon’s first U.S. labor union, has announced he’ll join the journey aboard an aid ship named the Handala. Meanwhile, a Spanish passenger who traveled on the Madleen last month has filed a war crimes complaint against Israel over its violent raid on June 8 of the Gaza-bound aid ship while in international waters.
Gaza after months of blockade. “Critics, including Israel, never miss the chance to point out that we’re carrying so little, asking what good it can do,” he said. “But they fail to mention that, for example, last year, when we organized the delivery of thousands of tons of essential supplies, those shipments were blocked too.”
The mission of the Handala, like that of the Madleen and earlier voyages, goes beyond delivering material aid, he adds – it is, in many ways, a political statement. “For years, Israel has undermined Palestinians’ ability to fish or farm,” Borgia said. “This has forced Palestinians in Gaza into complete dependency on aid, with devastating consequences for their sense of dignity and self-sufficiency.”
In this context, as governments remain silent in the face of Israel’s genocide, ongoing occupation and other crimes, Freedom Flotilla aims to break the silence. “Where governments fail, we, the people, are there to act,” Borgia emphasized.
It pointed to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, where residents face death, in addition to the growing threats of famine and disease.
Read more
West Nile virus detected in Allegheny County mosquitoes xAI Releases Formal Apology as Grok Posts Extremist Content Praising HitlerSara H
Also on site :
- Kevin Costner facing $400,000 lawsuit after Horizon 2 delay
- ‘The entitlement of people with kids baffles me’: Woman settles into her first-class seat on flight. Then a mom approaches her
- ‘This is devastating’: New Jersey dietician buys Siete gluten-free tortillas. Then she takes a taste—and says Pepsi is to blame