A group of international activists set sail Sunday on the boat ‘Handala’ from Syracuse, southern Italy, in a renewed attempt to challenge Israel’s “illegal, deadly blockade” of Gaza.
The 55-foot diesel-powered vessel, originally a Norwegian fishing boat named ‘Navarn’ and built in 1968, was acquired by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) in 2023 and renamed ‘Handala.’
The name refers to the iconic barefoot refugee child created by Palestinian cartoonist Naji Al-Ali, who has become a powerful symbol of Palestinian resistance.
“The boat carries his spirit and that of every child in Gaza who has been denied safety,” a coalition statement read.
Organizers describe the mission as a “grassroots international network” emerging in the shadow of the ongoing mass atrocities in Gaza. These hostilities have escalated significantly since March 18, when Israel reportedly broke a fragile ceasefire and resumed intense attacks across the Gaza Strip. Since that date, at least 6,572 Palestinians have been killed and over 23,000 injured.
This latest journey comes just weeks after Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla vessel Madleen, detaining 12 civilians who were attempting to deliver medical supplies and messages of solidarity to Gaza.
At 70 years old, Vigdis Bjorhovde from Norway is embarking on the journey to Gaza aboard Handala. For her, the voyage is the culmination of years of unwavering dedication to the Palestinian cause.
Bjorhovde has been an active supporter of Palestine since 1978, driven by a profound sense of justice. She states that her primary motivation for participating in this mission is a personal one: “I don't want the day to come when my grandchild asks me, 'Grandma, why didn't you do something?'” she explained.
This is not Bjorhovde's first attempt to reach the besieged Gaza Strip by sea. She initially joined the Handala mission in 2023, but was unable to sail to Gaza at that time. She made another attempt earlier this year on the vessel Conscience.
Other known participants are Arab-Australian journalist, producer, and filmmaker Tania Safi, who previously sailed on the Conscience flotilla; Palestinian activist Yazan Issa; French-American lawyer and professor Frank Romano; American veteran Bob Subirry; and Jewish American actor Jacob Berger.
The boat faced delays due to strong winds that pushed it against the dock, forcing it to leave the harbor in reverse, according to a statement from the International Committee for Breaking the Siege on Gaza.
“Israel's acts of piracy, kidnapping activists, seizing boats, and arresting international supporters will not deter us as long as the siege continues,” the committee declared.
Israel has a documented history of intercepting Freedom Flotilla ships. In 2010, Israeli forces attacked the ‘Mavi Marmara’, resulting in the deaths of 10 Turkish citizens and the detention of activists.
Just a month before intercepting the Madleen, Israel reportedly used drones to strike another Freedom Flotilla vessel, the Conscience, which was sailing near Malta en route to Gaza.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation confirmed Sunday that security services are monitoring the current mission and efforts by pro-Palestinian groups to send another ship from Italy.
Zaher Birawi, head of the committee, expressed his hope that “Handala will ignite a global solidarity uprising and a massive maritime movement to break the wall of silence surrounding Gaza.”
The boat is expected to stop in Gallipoli, in southeastern Italy, where two French MPs from the left-wing France Unbowed (LFI) party, Gabrielle Cathala and Emma Fourreau, will join the mission.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an international movement formed in 2010, aims to end Israel’s maritime blockade of Gaza. Since its inception, the group has launched 36 missions in pursuit of this objective.
