Another voyage of resistance: Freedom flotilla’s Handala departs for Gaza

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) has announced that the ship Handala will set sail from Italy on Sunday, July 13, 2025. This civilian ship, carrying humanitarian aid, aims to challenge the illegal and deadly siege imposed on Gaza by the Zionist regime.

Like other humanitarian aid ships bound for Gaza, Handala carries not only supplies but also a message of solidarity from people around the world—people who refuse to remain silent in the face of famine, bombings, and the ongoing burial of Gaza under rubble.

The Handala mission comes just weeks after the illegal attack by the Zionist regime on the ship Madelene—another Freedom Flotilla vessel that was unlawfully seized in international waters. The 12 civilians aboard the Madelene, including a Member of the European Parliament, a doctor, journalists, and human rights defenders, were kidnapped by Zionist commandos and forcibly taken to the occupied territories, where they were interrogated, harassed, and then deported.

Their “crime” was attempting to deliver food, medicine, and solidarity to the besieged people of Palestine.

Sergio Toribio, the only Spanish citizen aboard the Madelene, filed a criminal complaint with Spain’s National Court last week following the ship’s seizure by the Zionist navy in international waters.

The lawsuit alleges that the Zionist regime’s actions constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, carried out as part of a broader and systematic assault against Palestinian civilians and those seeking to assist them.

The complaint names several Zionist officials, including Benjamin Netanyahu (Prime Minister), David Saar Selma (Naval Commander), and senior officers of Shayetet 13, the naval commando unit responsible for the attack.

Now, Handala embarks on its journey under the shadow of these ongoing crimes.

The ship’s name, Handala, is drawn from the iconic cartoon character created by Naji al-Ali, the Palestinian cartoonist. Handala symbolizes the Palestinian people and embodies the painful and tragic fate of Palestinian refugees. An image of this character is painted on the ship’s hull.

Handala—the barefoot Palestinian refugee child who turned his back on injustice and vowed never to show his face again until Palestine is free—carries with it the spirit of every child in Gaza, deprived of security, dignity, and joy.

The ship’s owner told Al Jazeera that Handala had previously toured ports across Europe and the UK during 2023 and 2024, breaking the media blockade on Gaza, engaging with people, and fostering solidarity through press events, art programs, and political education wherever it docked.

Maria Elina, one of the activists aboard Handala, said before the ship’s departure: “Israel doesn’t just besiege the people of Gaza—it kills them. We will continue our efforts against Israel until the siege on Gaza is broken and Palestine is free.”

She added: “Israel’s violence against us, including murder and abduction, will not deter our efforts to break the blockade. The very entity accused of committing genocide is the one deciding when humanitarian aid is allowed into Gaza.”

Elina went on to criticize the inaction of the international community and European governments: “When Israel targeted our ship, Madelene, a month ago, no European country condemned the act. Even Britain, whose flag the Madelene was flying, remained silent and failed to condemn what happened.”

This human rights activist further stated that Israel’s impunity for its crimes has only emboldened it to continue its actions in plain sight of the world. “Cowardly governments that support Israel do not represent us. We are the voice of the peoples who stand with Gaza.”

Yasmin Akar, a German human rights activist aboard Handala, said: “Once again, we are on the deck of the Handala. This ship sails for the children of Gaza—the thousands who were killed and the more than one million now facing hunger and violence. We will not remain silent, and we will not stop.”

Another activist on board, Simona, emphasized: “We have repeatedly demanded that the Italian government stop the genocide in Gaza and sever diplomatic ties with Israel. We will not stop and will continue striving to break the siege on Gaza.”

Mohammad Mustafa, another member of the Handala crew, stated that the ship is also carrying prosthetic limbs for children who have lost their limbs as a result of Israeli bombings.