Humanitarian Gaza Flotilla Returns Barcelona Due Storm

An international humanitarian flotilla, including climate activist Greta Thunberg and other notable figures such as actor Liam Cunningham and former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, set sail from Barcelona to Gaza with the aim of breaking the Israeli blockade and delivering much-needed food and medical supplies. However, the flotilla was forced to return to port shortly after departure due to severe stormy weather and high winds, which posed a risk to the smaller vessels involved. Organizers expressed optimism about resuming the mission soon as weather conditions improve, emphasizing the unprecedented scale of the flotilla, which involves dozens of boats from 44 countries. The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir, has prepared plans to detain activists harshly if the flotilla attempts to reach Gaza again, viewing the mission as a threat to Israel's sovereignty and security. The naval blockade imposed by Israel since 2007 is officially justified as a measure to prevent weapons smuggling to Hamas but has resulted in severe humanitarian consequences, including famine in Gaza that has caused hundreds of deaths, many of them children. The flotilla's participants and supporters criticize Israel's blockade and call on states like Portugal to protect their citizens involved and to oppose what they describe as genocide against Palestinians.