Ruptly
"Around 20 vessels set sail from the southern French port city of Marseille on Saturday to join an international flotilla bound for Gaza, in an effort to challenge Israel's siege and deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave. Footage shows activists preparing dozens of vessels ahead of their departure from the Marseille harbuor. Later, crowds of supporters cheered the crew on and waved Palestinian flags as they set sail. "The current situation in Palestine is still critical. And in fact, we gathered here, with all the flotillas that set out in the last wave, to be very numerous so that we can break the blockade," said Lina, one of the activists. The vessels from Marseille will join the Global Sumud Flotilla's 'Spring Mission 2026,' with the main departure scheduled to set sail from Barcelona on April 12. Organisers have planned a stopover in Italy for non-violence training before the final transit toward Gaza. Organisers say the international flotilla will bring together around 100 boats and more than 1,000 participants from multiple countries. "The people who are committing themselves, who are boarding the flotilla for Gaza […] are saving France's honour in the face of the inaction and complicity of the French government with the genocide in Gaza," said Manuel Bompard, Deputy of LFI party. According to activists, the boats will deliver humanitarian supplies, including medical equipment, food, clothing and materials intended for children, as well as construction items. "Given that the strategy of this initiative is to break the blockade of Gaza, and that humanitarian aid is still not reaching the area, the flotilla aims to continue the action and raise awareness," said Pierax, another activist. This is the latest international activist-led attempt at breaking the siege of Gaza after October 2025, which saw the Israeli Navy intercept a fleet of approximately 50 vessels and over 500 activists in international waters. Hundreds of participants were detained at the Port of Ashdod and subsequently deported."
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