The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) launched the Madleen on Sunday (1 June), setting sail from Catania, Sicily, to Gaza.
The civilian ship is carrying humanitarian aid and international human rights defenders in a direct challenge to Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
The mission aims to deliver life-saving supplies and draw global attention to what the organisers describe as the “genocidal” and illegal siege on the Palestinian territory.
The vessel is named after Gaza’s first and only fisherwoman, Madleen, who became a symbol of resilience in 2014.
Organisers say the ship represents the strength of the Palestinian people and the growing international movement against the collective punishment and starvation tactics used by Israel.
The mission comes just one month after Israeli drones bombed Conscience, another Freedom Flotilla aid ship, in international waters off Malta’s coast.
This incident underscored the dangers and urgency of breaking the siege on Gaza.
On board the Madleen is a diverse group of volunteers, including prominent public figures such as French MEP Rima Hassan, Swedish climate justice activist Greta Thunberg, German humanitarian Yasemin Acar, and Thiago Ávila from Brazil, a member of the Freedom Flotilla Steering Committee.
Journalists Omar Faiad from Al Jazeera and Yanis Mhamdi from the French investigative outlet Blast are also aboard.
Other participants include Pascal Maurieras, Baptiste Andre, and Reva Viard from France; Şuayb Ordu from Turkey; Sergio Toribio from Spain; and Marco Van Rennes from the Netherlands.
Critical Aid for Gaza
The Madleen is carrying urgently needed supplies for Gaza’s population, including baby formula, flour, rice, diapers, women’s sanitary products, water desalination kits, medical supplies, crutches, and children’s prosthetics.
The mission’s goal is not only to deliver aid directly to Gaza but also to raise global awareness of the worsening humanitarian crisis caused by Israel’s ongoing blockade and military campaign.
Although some restrictions were eased in May 2025, UN agencies and humanitarian groups report that aid delivery continues to be obstructed by Israeli-imposed limitations, lawlessness, and looting.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Gaza is on the brink of famine, with three-quarters of the population facing ’emergency’ or ‘catastrophic’ food insecurity.
The journey to Gaza is expected to take about seven days, unless the vessel is intercepted or attacked.
#AllEyesOnDeck: Activists Speak Out
Activists on board have taken to social media to share their experiences.
Greta Thunberg described the Freedom Flotilla’s mission as an act of solidarity with Palestinians and a direct challenge to Israel’s blockade.
“We are not carrying weapons, but food and medical supplies,” she stated, adding that “systematic starvation and deprivation are methods of warfare Israel is using.”
Thunberg linked the mission to a global movement for justice, decolonisation, and liberation, urging others to stand with marginalised communities.
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French MEP Rima Hassan Mobarak urged the public to monitor the Madleen’s journey closely.
In a video with journalist Yanis Mhamdi, she explained their extensive training for various scenarios, including arrest by Israeli authorities or an attack on the vessel.
“That’s why we really need you to watch closely and react quickly,” she said.
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Humanitarian Yasemin Acar, speaking alongside Egyptian actress Nicole Jenes, emphasised the urgency of the mission, saying, “We could sit at home, but humanity requires us to act.”
After 19 months of failed attempts to break the blockade, she stressed the importance of solidarity.
“Children are being starved. We can’t watch anymore—we must take action.”
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Thiago Ávila, a Freedom Flotilla Steering Committee member, said morale was high as they sailed “with the hearts of billions” outraged by the suffering in Gaza.
He called for public pressure on governments to guarantee safe passage for the Madleen, adding, “Visibility is one of our greatest safety tools—#AllEyesOnDeck.”
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UN Experts Call for Safe Passage
On 2 June 2025, a panel of United Nations experts called on Israel to guarantee safe passage for the Madleen, warning that interference with the mission would violate international law.
“Aid is desperately needed for the people of Gaza to forestall annihilation,” the experts said.
“The Coalition ship has the right to free passage in international waters and Gaza’s territorial waters, even under occupation.”
They expressed grave concern for the crew’s safety, citing Israel’s previous attacks on humanitarian and UN missions, including the bombing of Conscience in May and the ongoing blockade.
The experts also noted that Israel has effectively halted aid entry since 2 March 2025, allowing only minimal amounts through in recent weeks.
They urged compliance with international legal rulings, including orders from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to allow unhindered humanitarian access.
In March 2024, the ICJ issued provisional measures warning of genocide risks due to starvation in Gaza.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the war crime of starvation.
Despite these rulings, Netanyahu announced on 1 March 2025 that all goods and supplies to Gaza would be halted—a move experts say violates international law.
“Over 600 days into Israel’s starvation campaign, the situation is at its most horrific,” the UN experts stated.
They also accused the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by Israel and the US, of weaponising aid to displace and humiliate civilians—violating principles of neutrality, dignity, and humanity.
Malnutrition among children reportedly surged by over 80% in March 2025.
The experts called on the international community to end its complicity and take concrete steps to protect humanitarian missions.
“The accumulation of aid trucks at the Rafah crossing while people starve is not a coordination failure—it’s the deliberate weaponisation of aid,” they said.
They urged the UN General Assembly to invoke the Uniting for Peace resolution and authorise the deployment of peacekeepers to accompany aid trucks entering Gaza.
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