Swiss newspaper: The steadfast fleet is the most capable of breaking the Gaza blockade.

The Swiss newspaper Le Temps reported that the largest fleet ever organized to break the blockade of the Gaza Strip begins its activities today, Sunday, in Barcelona, organized by veteran activists in the pro-Palestine movement.

The newspaper explained—in a report by François Musseau from Madrid—that breaking the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip has been and remains the goal of many, including Saif Abu Kask, a Palestinian with Spanish nationality, who hopes to achieve it in the coming days.

The writer noted that Abu Kask's ambition so far is great, as all attempts have failed to reach Gaza due to Israel; however, at least 40 ships are departing today, Sunday, from the port of Barcelona, to be joined on September 4 by ships from Tunisia and several other ports, before meeting on the coast of Gaza, unless intercepted by the Israeli navy.

This will be "the largest solidarity mission in history," as Saif Abu Kask stated to the newspaper, explaining that hundreds of passengers will participate in the journey, including activist Greta Thunberg, actress Susan Sarandon, and various local political figures such as former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau.

The ship "Hanthal" approached Gaza before being seized by Israel and its passengers deported late last month.

The newspaper pointed out that participants are coming from 44 countries, including Spain, Italy, Greece, and Morocco, and that 28,000 people—according to the organizers—have requested to board one of the boats of this fleet, which is called "Resilience," a term used by Palestinians to denote steadfastness in the face of Israeli oppression.

Abu Kask told the newspaper: "Like many others, I was arrested and tortured, and I received no support from the Spanish embassy. We did not achieve our goal, but we succeeded in amplifying the voice of the people and gaining countless supporters."

The idea of the Resilience fleet came to Abu Kask when he met in Egypt with Thiago Avila, a prominent figure in the pro-Palestinian movement in Brazil, and one of the organizers of the attempt to cross the ship Madeleine on June 9, alongside Greta Thunberg and 10 other passengers. He told the media: "We have gathered so much support that this time we can finally open a humanitarian route and change everything."

It is no coincidence that the convoy departs from Barcelona, where Saif Abu Kask resides, as he is an activist in Catalonia, where the Palestinian cause is very popular, and most of its parties strongly condemn Israel.

Santiago González Vallejo—a member of the solidarity network against the occupation of Palestine, launched in 2005 in Catalonia—confirms that almost all administrations facilitate any initiatives for Gaza and the West Bank, adding that "the mobilization for Gaza is very strong throughout Spain, but Catalonia, especially Barcelona, is the most capable of organizing it."

The newspaper stated that pro-Arab sentiments are clearly evident in Spain, especially among the left for historical reasons, and indeed, the socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez officially recognized the Palestinian state in May 2024, alongside his counterparts in Ireland and Norway. Since then, diplomatic tensions between Madrid and Tel Aviv have doubled.

The writer questioned whether the Resilience fleet could succeed, noting that this is doubtful, given previous experiences, as all exploratory trips from Turkey, Greece, and Sweden between 2010 and 2015 failed, and since the spring of this year, three other attempts have been thwarted.

The newspaper quoted a maritime security expert—who requested anonymity—as saying, "Any operation that represents an opportunity to break the blockade is this one, considering the number of ships and passengers." He added, "It will be difficult for the Israeli authorities to board this large number of ships unless they decide to bomb them."

According to observers, all previous attempts within the "Freedom Fleet" succeeded in amplifying the voices of besieged Gazans and revealed to the world how Israel prevents all supporters from reaching those trapped in the besieged enclave by sea, land, and air.

The United Nations and international experts officially announced for the first time last week the widespread famine in the Gaza Strip, marking the first time famine has been declared in the Middle East.

The World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Food Program, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) issued a joint statement in Geneva confirming that more than half a million people in Gaza are trapped in famine.