"The Fleet of Resilience" sails towards Gaza with Greta Thunberg at the forefront.

Tens of ships loaded with humanitarian aid are preparing to set sail from several ports on the Mediterranean Sea in late August, in the largest attempt ever to break the Israeli naval blockade imposed on the besieged Gaza Strip for more than 17 years.

The fleet includes activists, artists, and public figures from dozens of countries, including Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg and American actress Susan Sarandon, with Thunberg being known for her condemnation of the Israeli aggression against Gaza.

Thunberg sailed on June 1, 2025, towards the Strip in rejection of the genocide it has been subjected to since October 7, 2023, confirming through her Instagram account that the "Global Solidarity Fleet" will set off on August 31 from Spain.

Other ships will join on September 4 from Tunisia and other Mediterranean ports, with the campaign aiming to "break the illegal Israeli blockade" and deliver urgent aid to the besieged residents of Gaza.

Thousands of activists from 44 countries are participating in this initiative, including humanitarian workers, doctors, and artists, within an organization that describes itself as "independent" and "not affiliated with any government or political party."

The campaign organizers seek to implement the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the denial of food to civilians even in times of war, with the Turkish delegation coordinator in the fleet, Hussein Durmaz, confirming that the initiative unites several international coalitions such as "Freedom Flotilla" and "Convoy of Resilience."

Durmaz explained that "what is happening in Gaza is no longer bearable, and humanity is called upon today to mobilize its efforts to break this blockade," pointing to repeated incidents of Israeli occupation forces intercepting international solidarity ships.

The latest of these incidents was the "Madeleine" ship in June, and the "Hanthal" ship in July, which were both taken to Ashdod port and their passengers deported after being held for short periods.

These incidents recall the "Mavi Marmara" incident in 2010, where 10 Turkish activists were killed by the occupation army, as the occupation forces stormed the "Hanthal" ship when it was 70 miles from Gaza.

The organizers assert that the current fleet, the largest of its kind, will continue its voyage despite Israeli pressures and smear attempts that label participants as extremists or terrorists, emphasizing that their movement is "entirely civilian and peaceful."

The goal of this movement is to "deliver food and medicine to those in need and break the siege that suffocates more than two million people in Gaza," as the Israeli occupation has imposed a tight blockade on the Strip since 2007.

The catastrophic effects of this blockade have doubled since the war on the Strip began in October 2023, which has so far resulted in more than 61,000 martyrs and 153,000 injured, in addition to thousands of missing persons and an unprecedented famine that has claimed the lives of hundreds of Palestinians, including dozens of children.