Aid fleet sets sail for Gaza from Barcelona

A fleet carrying humanitarian aid and hundreds of activists set sail again for Gaza on Monday around 17:30 GMT from Barcelona, after having been forced to return to the Spanish port earlier due to strong winds, according to AFP journalists.

About 20 ships had left Barcelona on Sunday, aiming to “open a humanitarian corridor and end the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people” in Gaza, according to the “Global Freedom Flotilla” organizers.

The organizers said that “due to unsafe weather conditions, we conducted a trial sail and then returned to port to wait out the storm.”

“This means a delay in our departure to avoid any complications with the smaller boats,” they added, referring to winds exceeding 55 kilometers per hour.

They also said: “We made this decision to prioritize the safety of all participants and ensure the success of our mission.”

The fleet is expected to reach Gaza in mid-September. This comes after Israel blocked two previous attempts by activists to deliver aid by sea to the Palestinian enclave in June and July.

AFP