This is not just Netanyahu or Gallant’s Genocide 🔽

When the very foundation of Israel’s creation and colonization of Palestine is illegal, the ICC seeking arrest warrants only on very recent war crimes of Netanyahu and Gallant leaves much to be desired. How and when will justice be served, let alone acknowledged, for the 76+ years of ongoing land theft, massacres, assaults, crimes against children, the intentional targeting of civilians, including journalists and medics, the use of human shields, sexual violence, abductions, torture, killing prisoners of war, forced displacement and genocide against Palestinians by Israel since 1948?

In addition to occupying the Gaza Strip since 1967, Israel has also militarily and economically devastated Palestinians in Gaza with an illegal blockade it imposed in 2007, and five major military onslaughts on the besieged population since 2008. Gaza was deliberately turned into a large prison to which only Israel held the key. And, on the trapped population, Israel engaged in the most cruel, trecherous human experiment with impunity. So Israel's problem isn’t just Netanyahu and Gallant. It's a combination of Israeli society that elects far-right war criminals, the Israeli government's continuous violation of human rights and international humanitarian law, including the illegal siege of Gaza and attack on the entire civilian population, as well as governments that don't hold Israel to account for its obvious war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Cases against Israel in the ICJ and ICC are important steps forward, but is the attempted prosecution of Netanyahu and Gallant a distraction that is ultimately unenforceable? This is why collective efforts are so powerful. When our governments are set up to fail, it’s up to people around the world to stand together. Keep protesting, disrupting, blocking docks and celebrities, and join our Flotilla either on the ground or on the seas. Let’s break this siege!

After a grand reception in Ireland, 'Handala' is about to reach Brest, France. The ship is set to arrive and participate in a series of events from June 12th to 15th.

In anticipation of our arrival, we received a heartwarming message from the Syndicat CGT des Marins du Grand Ouest, the union of sailors from the Greater West of France:

"Solidarity among Sailors Worldwide! The crew of ‘Handala’ brings a message of Hope and Peace, standing as ‘soldiers without weapons’. The Syndicat CGT des Marins du Grand Ouest wholeheartedly supports their stopover in Brest. We eagerly await their arrival at Quai La Pérouse on June 12, 2024. We invite all sailors who can to join us at Quai La Pérouse in the Port du Château in Brest on June 12th, in the afternoon, to welcome the ‘Handala’ crew. Our union’s presence on the French coast transcends political labels and emphasizes our commitment to peace, advocating for an end to all violence, hatred, and conflict. We call for Peace in Gaza and across the world.

Members of the Syndicat CGT des Marins de Brest, who travel globally for their work, condemn the current state of affairs and urge world leaders to reflect and act with greater compassion and humility."

We are deeply grateful for this warm reception and are excited to meet everyone in France shortly! Please visit 'Handala' between June 12 - 15, learn about the brutal siege and illegal blockade on Gaza, and support our crew who have been working to spread awareness and make their way to Palestine.

Irish Rugby star shares a message to Palestine and Flotilla volunteers 🔽

Trevor Hogan, former Irish rugby champion and pro-human rights activist who participated in several Flotillas that were water cannoned and pirated by the IOF in the past, sends a special message to our volunteers and those supporting our missions in a time of great, unquantifiable grief. While our ‘Handala’ has left Ireland and is currently in France, and we continue to work on reflagging the Flotilla ships stuck in Istanbul, the decades of solidarity from Ireland remains palpable, unwavering and tremendously significant for Palestinians and the wider diaspora. This is a reminder to everyone watching: on those dark days, take time to regroup, regather, and come back again. Until Palestine is free.

Diana Buttu on the biggest myth about Israel's siege of Gaza⬇️

International lawyer and former spokesperson for the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Diana Buttu, says it’s a myth that the siege on Gaza began in 2006/2007, explaining that Israel's control and closure on Gaza started decades earlier. She explains how the Israel militarily closed Gaza off from the world, continuously ignoring international law and diplomatic efforts to end the blockade, making this current genocide possible. Buttu argues that this makes global efforts to break the siege on Gaza—foremost among them, the Freedom Flotilla—all the more imperative. “Look, the Israeli logic when it comes to Palestinians, is that what won’t be learned with force, will only be learned with more force. One of the most important things right now is to break that siege and break that blockade”.

Wellu from Finland: Why he captains to Gaza 🔽

Meet Wellu Koivisto, a 56-year-old human rights and environmental activist from Finland. With over 40 years dedicated to peace and justice, Wellu has sailed thousands of days worldwide. In 2012, he captained the 'Estelle' on a humanitarian mission with the Freedom Flotilla, which ended when Israel assaulted and abducted all the participants. He has been fighting for a free Palestine since he was 12-years-old, and continues till today, captaining participants as they sail on 'Handala' to Gaza. This collective effort has brought some of the world's biggest hearts and minds together, and the world is a better place because of people like Wellu.

An update on the Freedom Flotilla ships to Gaza

Ann Wright, a dedicated committee member of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, provides an essential update on the 'Break the Siege' Flotilla. Despite significant setbacks, including the withdrawal of flagging by Guinea-Bissau due to Israeli and US pressure, we are grateful for the unwavering support of participants and supporters.

With this specific mission originally launched in April 2024 in Istanbul, with over 40 countries represented, we have faced numerous obstacles but remain resolute. Participants continue their vital work, while the legal team continues to seek new flagging. Importantly, there's optimism that the Flotilla will set sail by mid-July/August to deliver crucial humanitarian aid to Gaza.

While our campaign vessel 'Handala' continues highlighting European complicity before it sails to Gaza, the delay on our humanitarian 'Break the Siege' ships, in the context of the urgent needs of the Palestinians, is a profound disappointment. However, the coalition’s resolve to break the blockade and deliver aid remains strong. Your support is crucial as we push forward towards justice and relief for Gaza.

Irish politician says what other world leaders fail to admit 🔽

Hear how the Sinn Féin TD recounts his experience on previous Freedom Flotilla ships that were water cannoned and pirated by the Israeli Occupation Forces, and expresses deep disappointment in global leaders for failing to hold Israel accountable. Chris also suggests that Ireland should be at the forefront to support the Flotilla missions, stating that "As a society, as a country, we have such affinity with Palestine, and I would call on the Irish government to be proactive. Show a leadership role and flag these ships, because this sort of activism is what drives political change."

A Coruña welcomes Handala: https://freedomflotilla.org/2024/07/01/a-coruna-welcomes-handala/

Susan Abulhawa uses math to prove that Israel’s goals are an epic lie

Palestinian writer Susan Abulhawa visited Gaza twice this year between February and May, witnessing firsthand the unimaginable scale of Israel’s actions. Based on statistics from the WHO, scientific literature detailing morbidity and mortality data for various conditions in Gaza, Abulhawa uses math to estimate a staggering reality: while the official death toll stalled at 30,000 for months before climbing to 37,000, they grossly underestimate the true death toll. These figures only account for identified victims of 'direct fire'. Hundreds of thousands more remain uncounted—unidentified bodies or body parts, those who died due to a lack of medicine and healthcare, those buried by their loved ones without getting to hospital, those who starved to death, those trapped under the rubble, those who succumbed to torture while abducted by the IOF and/or those missing.