Rome – SABA:
French physician Baptiste André, one of the participants in the Freedom Flotilla, affirmed that the Israeli enemy’s stance in preventing the ships from reaching the Gaza Strip was not surprising, but rather expected from the start.
André stated that participants in the flotilla are determined to continue their journey to break the blockade imposed on Gaza, despite repeated Israeli threats, according to Sanad News Agency.
He added, “We count on the support of the international community to continue this humanitarian mission. We receive daily messages of solidarity and support from around the world, confirming the justice of our cause and the need to end the blockade imposed on the Strip.”
The “Madeleine” ship, part of the international Freedom Flotilla Coalition, set sail last Sunday from the port of Catania on the Italian island of Sicily, carrying humanitarian aid intended for the besieged Gaza Strip.
Organizers of the initiative hope that the ship — whose journey is expected to take about seven days — will reach its destination despite the threats, carrying a message of solidarity with Gaza’s population and a clear call to end the Israeli blockade that has lasted for over 17 years and to stop the ongoing genocide against civilians.
Along the approximately 2,000-kilometer route, international activists continue their journey for the third consecutive day aboard the ship, amid expectations of intervention by the Israeli army. They are calling for international and public protection to ensure their safe arrival on Gaza’s shores.
With American and European support, the Israeli enemy’s army has committed acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, resulting in the martyrdom of 54,607 Palestinians — the majority of whom are women and children — and the injury of 125,341 others, according to incomplete figures, as thousands of victims remain under rubble and in streets, unreachable by rescue teams.