The demonstrations were organized by the Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), the Islamic Solidarity Platform, and the Palestine Support Platform.
During the march, the demonstrators chanted slogans protesting the Israeli genocide in Gaza, such as "Death to Zionist Israel" and "Criminal Israel, leave Palestine," while waving Palestinian flags.
In a speech delivered by Ismail Ileri, representative of the Palestine Support Platform, he said that the Global Steadfastness Flotilla was formed with the participation of activists from 44 countries. He emphasized that the flotilla represents a collective reflection of humanity's conscience, and noted that efforts to break the siege on Gaza by sea are of strategic and historical importance.
He stressed that protecting the flotilla represents protecting the collective conscience of all humanity, as well as the Palestinians in Gaza, adding that "protecting the global steadfastness flotilla from (potential) Israeli attacks is a duty of all governments and international institutions."
Ellery emphasized that the United Nations' inability to confront Israel's attacks and blockade is no longer acceptable, emphasizing the need to open a safe and continuous humanitarian corridor for aid to Gaza. He called on the international community and all governments to take immediate action.
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At the end of last August, approximately 20 ships as part of the Global Resilience Flotilla departed from the Spanish port of Barcelona, followed by another convoy at dawn last Monday from the port of Genoa in northwestern Italy.
These ships are expected to meet a third flotilla, which will depart from Tunisia on Wednesday after having been scheduled for Sunday for logistical and technical reasons, before continuing its journey to Gaza, aiming to break the Israeli blockade. The flotilla consists of the Freedom Flotilla Union, the Global Gaza Movement, the Steadfastness Flotilla, and the Malaysian Sumud Nusantara organization.
On August 22, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) declared a famine in the northern Gaza Strip, warning of its potential expansion to other areas due to the ongoing Israeli blockade.
Since last March, Israel has imposed a strict blockade on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. It has closed the crossings and allowed only very small amounts of aid into the Strip, disproportionate to the needs of the Strip. It has distributed the aid through "suspicious" organizations not affiliated with the United Nations. It has also opened fire on those waiting for aid, killing and wounding thousands.
With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving 64,368 Palestinians dead and 162,367 wounded, most of them children and women. More than 9,000 are missing, hundreds of thousands are displaced, and a famine has claimed the lives of 382 Palestinians, including 135 children.
