The international fleet postpones its sailing to Gaza until spring 2027

Rome - Ofoq News - The organizers of the international fleet heading to the Gaza Strip announced that they will not continue their journey to their destination during the current year, after a series of technical malfunctions that delayed sailing, in addition to the bodies of migrants being found twice in the Mediterranean Sea as they attempted to cross it.

The organizers of the "Freedom Flotilla Coalition" explained that the next attempt to reach Gaza and break the Israeli naval blockade imposed on the Strip will be postponed until the spring of 2027.

The flotilla was scheduled to reach the coast of the Gaza Strip during the month of October, but technical malfunctions and the need for repairs that took a long time, in addition to the discovery of the bodies of migrants at sea, led to a reduction in the time available to complete the journey, which prompted the organizers to take the decision to postpone.

The fleet embarked on a tour that included European ports, with the aim of gathering popular and international support for action against the Israeli naval blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip.

The main ship on the voyage, "Kate", also known as "Tenacity", set sail from the British city of Bristol on August 17, passed through ports in Ireland, France and Spain, and was scheduled to arrive in Sicily on October 14, before heading towards the coast of Gaza.

The participants described twice finding the bodies of migrants at sea as a “harsh experience,” stressing at the same time that technical malfunctions and the need for lengthy repairs contributed to reducing the time remaining to complete the journey.

Frank Romano, one of the volunteers on board the ship "Kate", said: "We set off on our way to Gaza, and it is painful to end this journey without arriving there."

He added that the commitment that prompted them to participate in the trip remains as strong as it was, indicating that they will transfer the feelings of solidarity they felt in European ports to the preparations for the mission scheduled for 2027.

For her part, human rights lawyer and member of the flotilla’s steering committee, Huwaida Arraf, criticized the international community, considering that the world’s governments have failed to protect the Palestinians.

The organizers stressed that postponing the sailing does not mean stopping their activity, stressing the continuation of their movements against Israel and calling on governments to stop transferring weapons to it and ending military cooperation with it.

In the city of Catania on the Italian island of Sicily, activists in the fleet and its supporters will hold, over the weekend, an interfaith dialogue conference under the title “Faith in a Time of Genocide.”

Christian, Muslim and Jewish clerics are expected to participate in the conference, including Sandra-Laia Roche from Canada, who was previously active in the “Woman to Woman” organization in Haifa and identifies as a “Jewish priestess.”

Participants discuss the responsibility of religious communities in light of the war on Gaza, and ways to act against Israeli policies.

The flotilla organizers also announced their support for the arrival of international activists to the West Bank to participate in the olive harvest season alongside Palestinian farmers, and condemned the trend aimed at deporting foreign activists who arrive in the region.

The organizers confirmed that field activities in the West Bank and preparations for the launch of the next fleet will continue in parallel during the coming months.