Greta Thunberg Joins Flotilla Departing Barcelona to Deliver Aid to Gaza

On August 31, 2025, a flotilla of boats carrying humanitarian aid set sail from Barcelona toward the Gaza Strip, aiming to break Israel's longstanding naval blockade. The convoy, known as the Global Sumud Flotilla, comprises approximately 20 vessels from 44 countries, with plans to deliver essential supplies such as food, water, and medicine to Gaza, where a severe humanitarian crisis persists.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is among the participants. Addressing supporters before departure, she criticized the international community's inaction, stating, "They are failing to do their most basic, legal duties to act, to prevent a genocide, to stop their complicity and support for... the occupation and the genocide of Palestinians."

This marks Thunberg's second attempt to reach Gaza by sea; her previous effort in June ended with Israeli forces seizing the aid ship and deporting the activists. Israel maintains that the naval blockade is necessary to prevent arms from reaching Hamas and has dismissed such flotillas as propaganda.

The flotilla's departure coincides with intensified Israeli military operations in Gaza City. Over the weekend, Israeli forces conducted airstrikes and ground shelling in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, resulting in at least 30 Palestinian deaths, including 13 near an aid distribution site. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to convene his security cabinet to discuss the next phase of the offensive, which is not expected to commence for several weeks.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, with over 63,000 people reported killed since the conflict began in 2023, according to local health authorities. The Global Sumud Flotilla aims to establish a humanitarian sea corridor to alleviate the suffering of Gaza's residents.