As the Greek government prevents the departure of a number of Gaza-bound aid boats, one of the boats with the Freedom Flotilla, which was not docked in Greece, has managed to set sail for the Gaza Strip.Two other boats that attempted to sail to Gaza from Greece over the last week were intercepted by the Greek Coastguard and accompanied back to port. They were among ten boats set to travel to Gaza in the humanitarian “Freedom Flotilla” last week, which was delayed by sabotage, threats and a Greek government directive to stop the Flotilla.
The French boat was stationed in Corsica when the Greek directive was passed, and on Tuesday managed to leave port and enter international waters. Passengers on the boat say that they will wait in international waters for the other boats in the Flotilla to join them, unless they are directed by organizers to go ahead.
Once the flotilla is in international waters, it should reach Gaza within three days, although Israeli forces have pledged to stop the boats from reaching their destination.
The French boat, known as ‘Dignite al Karama’, carries a number of French dignitaries including the head of the New Left Party, Olivier Besancenot, and European Parliament Member Nicole Kiil-Nilsen.
The boat, like the others in the Flotilla, was sponsored by hundreds of individual donors hoping to show support to the besieged population of the Gaza Strip.
