The flotilla carrying activist Greta Thunberg was forced to turn back to Spain. The New York Post reports 35-mile-per-hour winds forced the group to turn back.
“Due to unsafe weather conditions, we conducted a sea trial and then returned to port to allow the storm to pass,” a press release said. “We made this decision to prioritize the safety and well-being of all participants and to safeguard the success of our mission.”
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The 22-year-old was aboard one of 20 boats that set sail out of Barcelona on Sunday, carrying aid to Gaza. With hundreds of activists from 44 countries sailing aboard dozens of ships, Global Sumud Flotilla said this will be its largest attempt at delivering much-needed aid to the enclave. It is unclear when Thunberg’s group will be able to try again.
The flotilla was scheduled to join up with other ships from various Mediterranean ports.
What other flotilla aid attempts have been made?
Similar efforts led by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition have already been unsuccessful in their attempts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza’s shores.
On June 9, Israeli naval forces intercepted a British-flagged aid vessel, the Madleen, detaining Thunberg and a group of international volunteers.
Previous attempts by the group had also failed in May after the crew said it was struck by a pair of drones while sailing near Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attack. The country did not officially respond to the accusations.
More recently, in July, the Handala was intercepted. Twenty-one activists and reporters aboard the ship were detained, while its cargo –– baby formula, food and medicine –– was seized.
In the nearly two years since Israel launched its war in Gaza, more than 90% of the enclave’s Palestinian population has been displaced at least once. Some in the international community have also accused Israel of committing genocide and deliberately facilitating mass starvation.
