FRENCH BOATS OF GLOBAL SUMUD FLOTILLA SET TO DEPART MARSEILLE FOR GAZA AID MISSION

Sat 04 April 2026:

Around 20 boats from France are set to join the Global Sumud Flotilla’s “Spring Mission 2026,” with departure expected on Saturday, April 4, from the southern port city of Marseille, as part of an international effort to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, Anadolu reports.

Preparations for the flotilla have been underway for weeks at L’Estaque Port, involving the Thousand Madleens to Gaza initiative, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, and several France-based civil society groups.

Each vessel is expected to carry around eight people along with humanitarian supplies, including medical aid and seeds, before making an initial stop in Italy.

Organizers say the mission aims to challenge the blockade on Gaza and raise international awareness of the humanitarian situation in the enclave.

According to Esther Le Cordier from the Thousand Madleens to Gaza movement, the initiative began in France and expanded to around 20 countries, raising approximately €500,000 to purchase and prepare the boats.

Le Cordier said the flotilla represents a collective grassroots effort, adding that organizers have focused on ensuring vessel safety, communication systems and the ability to accommodate both experienced sailors and volunteers without maritime experience.

She described the mission as part of a broader plan to mobilize more than 100 boats across the Mediterranean.

Activists involved in the mission said they aim to draw attention to the humanitarian conditions in Gaza and urge governments to take action.

Ghislaine Kabouli, a pro-Palestinian activist from the Paris region, said the initiative is both humanitarian and political, emphasizing the need to maintain international focus on the situation.

__________________________________________________________________________

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22

__________________________________________________________________________

Another activist involved in preparations said the flotilla seeks to highlight ongoing developments in Gaza and mobilize public awareness through direct action at sea.

Maryam Hadjal, communications officer for the Waves of Freedom France Association, said her group would sail aboard a vessel named “Noor,” meaning “light” in Arabic. She said the mission’s objective is to deliver aid and keep the issue of Gaza in international political and media discussions.

The Marseille departure forms part of a wider international flotilla, with vessels expected from countries including Spain, Italy and Tunisia, bringing the total number of boats to between 100 and 200.

The initiative comes amid continued restrictions on humanitarian access to Gaza. The United Nations said on March 30 that crossings into the enclave remain closed and humanitarian movements have been suspended in areas where Israeli forces are deployed.

According to Palestinian authorities, the conflict has caused widespread destruction, affecting most civilian infrastructure and resulting in tens of thousands of casualties, while reconstruction costs are estimated by the UN at around $70 billion.

__________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

WhatsApp CHANNEL
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22