Greta Thunberg’s flotilla attempting to reach Gaza was forced to turn back within hours of its departure yesterday.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, made up of around 20 vessels carrying tons of food, medicine, and other humanitarian aid, set sail from Barcelona on Sunday.
But after just a few hours in the Mediterranean, the expedition leaders decided to abandon the mission because of worsening weather conditions.
‘Due to unsafe weather conditions, we conducted a sea trial and then returned to port to allow the storm to pass,’ the group said in a statement on Monday.
‘This meant delaying our departure to avoid risking complications with the smaller boats.’
They said the mission was facing ‘over 30-knot winds’ and decided to turn back to ‘prioritise the safety and wellbeing’ of participants.
Among the boats forced to return were those carrying former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, and Barcelona councillor Jordi Coronas, as well as Swedish activist Thunberg.
The captains of the boats are set to meet again on Monday to decide whether they will try to resume their journey later in the day.
Experts have described the mission as the most significant attempt yet to challenge Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip by reaching the area by sea.
Critics have said the blockade has contributed to the deaths of thousands of Palestinians, with hundreds reportedly dying of starvation in recent weeks. Israel has strongly denied that it is using widespread starvation as a strategy in Gaza.
However, international organisations have said that Gaza has now been plunged into famine.
The flotilla aims not only to deliver food and medicine to civilians but also to pressure European governments to rethink their relationships with Israel.
This is the fourth attempt this year to bypass the blockade, following three previous missions that failed to reach Gaza.
In a statement, Global Sumud Flotilla said: ‘Facing over 30-knot winds and the unpredictable nature of the Mediterranean, we made this decision to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of all participants and to safeguard the success of our mission.’
Yesterday, it was reported that Israel was planning on throwing Thunberg in a terror cell. The planned sail comes just weeks after she was detained in international waters by the country.
According to new reports, Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s Minister of National Security, was drawing up a plan to present to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that would see the activist detained in a terrorist prison.
It was also claimed that as part of the plan, vessels would be seized and used to establish a ‘maritime force for police operations’.
Before Thunberg departed, she said: ‘This project is part of a global uprising of people standing up… when our governments fail to step up, the people will take their place, and their atrocities and their complicity in the genocide in Gaza right now… is not something that we can stand for.’
Her first attempt to go to Gaza in June was foiled by Israeli forces. Defence minister Israel Katz ordered the military to stop her from getting anywhere near Gaza.
He said at the time: ‘I have instructed the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] to act so that the hate flotilla … does not reach the shores of Gaza – and to take all necessary measures to that end.’
Katz added: ‘To the antisemitic Greta [Thunberg] and her friends who echo Hamas propaganda, I say clearly: You’d better turn back – because you will not reach Gaza. Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or to assist terrorist organisations – by sea, by air, and by land.’
During that voyage, one of the activists on board, Thiago Avila, posted a voice note on Telegram saying: ‘We have been surrounded by many lights all at once; they were circling our boat but in the end they kept going their own way.’
The group reported that Israel used drones to spray an irritant on their flotilla before officials boarded and detained them. They also said: ‘Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio.’
She and 11 other passengers were taken to Israel and given an ultimatum – either agree to be deported or get arrested.
Thunberg agreed to be deported while some of the other passengers were held. Upon arrival at an airport in Paris, she hit out at Israel, accusing the nation of kidnapping her while she and her fellow passengers were in international waters.
In May, another boat sailing as part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group that organised the June mission, caught on fire off Malta. The activists later said that the vessel was attacked by drones from Israel.
