‘Handala’ ship approaches Gaza coast, reaching farther than last month’s ‘Madleen’ flotilla
Flatilla Aid would have already been closer to the strip than the Madleen flotilla which was arrested by Israeli forces last month.
Activists aboard the Handala Ship said on Saturday that they approached the coast of the Gaza Strip and had already passed the point where the ShyFlatilla was arrested last month.
They then said that an unidentified boat approached the ship and that the participants “prepare for a takeover,” reported Army Radio.
The ship sailed in Italy earlier this week. “The world is watching,” said the militants. The flotilla last month made the headlines, highlighting the presence of pro-Palestinian activist Greta Thunberg.
The Israeli navy is preparing to intercept the ship, which, from Saturday afternoon, about 200 kilometers from Gaza.
“The flotilla is an act of collective conscience,” said Huwaida Arraf, a lawyer for human rights, co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement, and a member of the “Freedom Flatilla” committee. The boat is named after the famous Palestinian cartoon character “Handala”, describes as “a child refugee with bare feet, Seeker of Justice, who swore not to turn his back until Palestine is free”.
The character Handala, that the ship bears the name. (Credit: article 27a copyright act)
Previous trips of the ship
In 2023 and 2024, the Handala ship sailed to ports through Europe and the United Kingdom, “breaking the blocking of the media and strengthening global solidarity through public events, artistic facilities and political education”.
The ship started from the port of Gallipoli, Italy, Sunday as part of an international protest flotilla whose aim, according to the organizers, is to break the Israeli blockage on Gaza and express its solidarity with its residents. The trip should last about ten days.
Before departure, a farewell ceremony took place at the port, to which the hundreds of supporters waved Palestinian flags and calling on the ship to be authorized to reach its destination. According to the organizers, Flatillala aims to raise awareness of the serious humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to provide urgent aid.
One of Handala The crew members are Jacob Berger, who is a 40-year-old player, creator of viral and Jewish-American content, anti-Israeli activist, and had started to become viral on social networks in 2017 because of his comedy videos.
The staff of the Jerusalem Post contributed to this report.
