Organizers of the Global Freedom Flotilla held a press conference in Barcelona on Sunday ahead of their departure toward the Gaza Strip, launching a new international effort to challenge the deadly Israeli blockade.
Participants described the mission as a humanitarian and moral response to what they called the ongoing destruction and deprivation facing Gaza’s population.
According to the coalition, nearly one thousand volunteers from 70 countries are taking part in the mission aboard 70 vessels.
The flotilla is expected to follow a designated route across the Mediterranean, with organizers estimating a two‑week journey before reaching Gaza’s coastline.
⛔️ Thousands gathered at Barcelona’s port as the largest ever Global Sumud Flotilla prepared to depart for Gaza, aiming to break Israel’s blockade‼️ pic.twitter.com/gpB8VBVZEP
— Dr.Sam Youssef Ph.D.,M.Sc.,DPT. (@drhossamsamy65) April 12, 2026
They said the initiative builds on years of cooperation with Catalan universities and civil society groups, noting that public support for the Palestinian cause remains strong in Barcelona and across Catalonia.
Palestinian activist Susan Abdullah, originally from Gaza and now living in Norway, said her participation reflects the long trajectory of her family’s displacement, beginning with the 1948 Nakba and continuing through the 1967 war and repeated military offensives on Gaza.
Activists are set to gather this weekend at Moll de la Fusta for concerts, activities, stalls, and workshops. They are calling for larger participation and inviting the public to join, including a farewell on Sunday for Gaza flotilla activists. pic.twitter.com/dsyBaBtpeJ
— Ramy Abdu| رامي عبده (@RamAbdu) April 11, 2026
She described living through bombardment, displacement, and the loss of safety, saying the current devastation is part of a decades‑long pattern. Despite the hardship, she said Palestinians “continue to support one another,” adding that the flotilla aims to send a message to Gaza that “you are not alone.”
A Turkish teacher of German origin, identified as Somaya, said she joined the flotilla because she refuses to be “a silent witness to children being deprived of education and medicine.”
She described the situation in Gaza as a “genocidal catastrophe” and criticized “international political complicity.”
Somaya accused several Western governments, including the United States, Britain, and Germany, of supplying weapons used in attacks on Gaza, urging an end to such support. She said grassroots action “in the sea and in the streets” has become necessary in light of institutional failure.
Indonesian activist Maryam said she traveled thousands of miles to join the mission, describing her country’s support for Palestine as part of a long tradition of international solidarity.
The largest flotilla ever sailing to Gaza.
Hundreds of activists, who can no longer sit at home and just watch the genocide in Gaza continue, have set sail for Gaza. pic.twitter.com/ULf0YJBqeV
— 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐦 (@Malcolm_Pal9) April 12, 2026
She argued that official diplomacy has failed to protect civilians in Gaza and called for sustained global mobilization to challenge the blockade and push for humanitarian access.
A representative of Greenpeace in Spain and Portugal said the organization’s participation is driven by an “ethical obligation,” stressing that the crisis in Gaza is not only humanitarian but also environmental.
Un orgullo enorme la valentía de Pablo y de todos los compañeros que embarcan hacia la Flotilla Global Summud para romper el cerco de hambre y muerte en Gaza. Heroico. Con ustedes, la esperanza de toda la humanidad ❤️ Viva Palestina libre. https://t.co/qwpUruNwbF
— Tatiana Fernández Martí (@tatious_) April 12, 2026
She noted that the destruction of farmland, water networks, and infrastructure has created long‑term ecological risks, warning that “silence is not neutrality but complicity.” She added that environmental protection cannot be separated from the protection of human life and basic rights.
The Global Freedom Flotilla is sailing from Barcelona toward Gaza for the second time in less than a year, with a larger number of boats and participants than the previous attempt.
The earlier mission, launched in September 2025, involved 42 vessels and 462 activists. Israeli naval forces intercepted all participating boats at the time, detaining the activists before deporting them to various countries.
Organizers of the current mission say they are prepared for similar risks but insist that the effort is necessary to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to challenge the blockade that has restricted the movement of people and goods for years.
