International activists are preparing to sail from Barcelona, Spain, in a 70-boat convoy called the Global Resilience Flotilla, aiming to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian supplies. The mission, set to depart on Sunday, includes about 1,000 volunteers from 70 countries. The vessels are carrying food, medicine, and school materials for Palestinian children. Organisers say the effort is coordinated with Palestinian civil society groups, maritime security experts, and international NGOs such as Greenpeace and Open Arms, with additional support from the Barcelona municipality.

Flotilla spokesperson Pablo Castilla said the mission seeks to condemn what organisers describe as international complicity in Israel’s actions in Gaza, demand accountability, and open humanitarian corridors by sea and land. He warned that global attention on Gaza has waned amid other regional conflicts, allowing Israel to tighten its siege and expand settlements. The Gaza Strip has been under blockade since 2007 and faces a severe humanitarian crisis following Israel’s war that began in October 2023, which has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians and displaced about 1.5 million people.

This voyage follows the first Global Resilience Flotilla in 2025, which was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters. All previous flotillas since 2010 have faced similar interceptions or attacks.