The deputy from the Bloco de Esquerda shared a video on her Instagram account marking the departure from Barcelona’s port, showing people along the shore enthusiastically bidding farewell to the flotilla with words of support for Gaza.
“On the way to Gaza,” reads the video description, which can be viewed above. Applause and cheers from those who came to bid farewell to the flotilla at the Barcelona port are audible.
Data from the Guardia Urbana estimates that around five thousand people gathered at Moll de la Fusta to see off the Global Sumud Flotilla.
Since Friday, social and pro-Palestinian organizations have been hosting activities, talks, and concerts in Barcelona to welcome those embarking on the humanitarian flotilla and support the mission to “break the siege” of Gaza imposed by Israel, establishing a humanitarian corridor.
Among the activists is Portuguese model and actress Sofia Aparício, who announced on her Instagram account the end of a second day of training for activists on Saturday, focusing on non-violence, emphasizing the humanitarian nature of the mission, protected by United Nations conventions and international law.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian fleet bound for Gaza, will consist of about 50 boats carrying humanitarian aid and hundreds of people, including activists, politicians, artists, and other public figures from 44 countries.
The first boats departed today from Barcelona, northeast of Spain, with others joining them on September 4 in Tunis, coming from various Mediterranean ports.
The organization estimates that the journey to Gaza will take about two weeks.
Three Portuguese nationals are part of the Global Sumud Flotilla: deputy Mariana Mortágua from the Bloco de Esquerda, activist Miguel Duarte, and actress Sofia Aparício.
Miguel Duarte, who has focused on migrant rights and rescuing people in the Mediterranean, stated to Lusa that this initiative could be “a turning point in the history of these flotillas to Gaza,” which have been ongoing for nearly two decades.
Apart from its scale, the Global Sumud Flotilla is expected to gain unprecedented visibility by including “people from many countries and people with platforms,” such as “deputies and MEPs, well-known activists, film actors,” he highlighted.
Delegations from various countries include politicians and other public figures known to the respective public audiences, with globally recognized names confirmed, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and American actress Susan Sarandon.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is a joint initiative of several non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including the Freedom Flotilla, the Sumud Flotilla of the Maghreb, the Sumud Nusantara convoy, and the Global Movement for Gaza, among other international organizations.
Israel is currently conducting a military offensive in the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Islamist group Hamas on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages.
According to figures released by Palestinian enclave authorities, Israel’s offensive in Gaza has resulted in over 63,000 deaths.
On August 22, the UN officially declared a famine in the city of Gaza after experts warned that 500,000 people are in a catastrophic situation.
See the video in the gallery above.
