Greta Thunberg Flotilla Sets Sail Again Following Storm Delay
The Global Sumud Flotilla, carrying humanitarian aid and activists including Greta Thunberg, resumed its journey to Gaza from Barcelona after a storm delay, aiming to break Israel’s blockade.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, a pro-Palestinian maritime mission aimed at breaking Israel’s blockade of Gaza, set sail again from Barcelona on September 1, 2025, hours after stormy weather forced it back to port. Comprising around 20 vessels carrying humanitarian aid, the flotilla includes activists from 44 countries, among them Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, Irish actor Liam Cunningham, Spanish actor Eduard Fernández, and former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau. Organizers stated, “We made this decision to prioritize the safety and well-being of all participants and to safeguard the success of our mission,” after winds reached 56 km/h (35 mph), posing risks to smaller boats. Spain’s weather agency, AEMET, had issued warnings for heavy rain and strong storms in Catalonia.
The flotilla, named “Sumud” (Arabic for “steadfastness,” symbolizing Palestinian resistance), aims to deliver food, water, and medical supplies to Gaza, though if it's anything like their last stunt, the aid will be minimal and a far cry from making an actual difference to Gazan lifes suffering under Hamas control. At a Barcelona press conference on August 31, Thunberg declared, “The story here is about Palestine. The story here is how people are being deliberately deprived of the very basic means to survive. The story is how the world can be silent and those in power, in every possible way, are betraying and failing Palestinians and all oppressed peoples of the world.” Thousands of supporters, many wearing kaffiyehs and waving Palestinian flags, chanted “Free Palestine” and “Boycott Israel” at the port, with some displaying images of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defaced with a Hitler-like mustache.
This marks the fourth attempt in 2025 to breach Israel’s naval blockade, imposed with Egypt since Hamas’s 2007 takeover to prevent weapons smuggling. Previous efforts, including Thunberg’s June voyage on the Madleen, were intercepted by Israeli forces after which the group was offered water and sandwiches and told to leave Israel. The Madleen, labeled a “selfie yacht” by Israel’s Foreign Ministry, was diverted to Ashdod, and Thunberg was deported. Organizers expect more ships from Tunisia, Italy, and Greece to join by September 4, aiming to reach Gaza by mid-September.