FOUR FLOTILLAS AGAINST THE SIEGE
Sailing to end 18 years of inhumane blockade on Gaza.
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Global Sumud Flotilla
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
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Freedom Flotilla Coalition
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Thousand Madleens to Gaza
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
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F.lotta
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
In 2025, four flotillas — Global Sumud, Thousand Madleens, F.lotta, and the Freedom Flotilla Coalition — sailed with one goal: to break the siege on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid.
Global Sumud Flotilla
The Global Sumud Flotilla — sumud meaning steadfastness or resilience — was launched in 2025 by a broad alliance of organisations and movements.
It replicated the Freedom Flotilla’s model on a larger scale, with ships departing from Catalonia, Tunisia and Italy, and activists from over 44 countries on board.
Before departure, two boats were hit by drones off the Tunisian coast (Le Monde), but the flotilla pressed on toward Gaza carrying medical aid and food. In early October, its final vessel, the Marinette, was intercepted by Israeli forces about 42 nautical miles from the Gaza coast (Reuters).
The Sumud organisers have since announced plans for a “Second Wave” in 2026, aiming to mobilise up to 1,000 civilian boats worldwide (Malay Mail).
Its message remains clear: Breaking the siege it is a moral and political imperative.
Freedom Flotilla Coalition: The historic voice of maritime resistance
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) remains the most established of these initiatives.
Founded in 2008, when the boats Free Gaza and Liberty successfully reached Gaza — with 44 people on board, including the late activist Vittorio Arrigoni — it has since carried out dozens of missions.
Over the years, Israel has consistently intercepted, seized and confiscated FFC vessels and their humanitarian cargoes, often detaining and deporting participants. Yet the movement has never stopped.
2025 Missions and Incidents
May 2025 — Drone attack on Conscience: The vessel was struck by Israeli drones 14 miles off Malta in international waters, injuring crew members and causing fire damage to the hull (The Guardian).
June 2025 — Interception of Madleen: The ship, which included activists such as Greta Thunberg, was intercepted about 100 miles from Gaza and escorted to Ashdod by Israeli forces (Reuters).
July 2025 — Seizure of Handala: The Handala was blocked 50 miles from Gaza; its crew abducted and equipment confiscated (Freedom Flotilla Coalition).
September – October 2025 — Southern departures: Vessels departed from Otranto and Catania carrying medical supplies, nurses and journalists. All were stopped before reaching Gaza.
By November 2025, most ships had been intercepted or detained, their crews released after interrogation.
Despite losses, the Coalition has vowed to continue its missions in 2026, asserting that “solidarity cannot be confiscated at sea.”
For the Freedom Flotilla, these were not mere humanitarian convoys but acts of international civil disobedience — confronting the complicity of Western governments and demanding an end to military, economic and academic cooperation with Israel.
Freedom Flotilla: Thousand Madleens to Gaza
Named after the Freedom Flotilla vessel Madleen — itself inspired by Madleen Kulab, Gaza’s first female fisherwoman — the Thousand Madleens to Gaza initiative transforms a single story of courage into a global symbol of resistance.
Launched after the seizure of the Madleen in June 2025, this project involves dozens of real and symbolic boats representing the determination to end the blockade.
Closely aligned with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, it uses non-violent direct action and grassroots mobilisation to engage communities, artists and activists worldwide.
As of November 2025, more than 400 groups and collectives have joined the initiative, organising solidarity events in European and Latin American ports.
Its strength lies not only in its ships, but in its storytelling — turning personal tragedy into a beacon of collective resilience and dignity.
F.lotta: The new wave of activist energy
F.lotta represents a younger, intersectional and creative generation of activists. Rejecting borders and the concept of “Fortress Europe,” the group joins the flotillas to connect struggles across regions — from anti-colonial resistance to migrant solidarity.
Their communication is fresh, digital and accessible, bringing new audiences into the movement.
Their very name, F.lotta (a play on the Italian word for “struggle”), symbolises both “flotta” (fleet) and “lotta” (fight): not only humanitarian aid, but political resistance.
In 2025, F.lotta launched a digital media network linking Mediterranean ports through live broadcasts and ship tracking.
The initiative has become a tool to counter media blackouts and amplify first-hand voices from activists at sea.
