Freedom Flotilla ships sailing to Gaza reach Dutch city

By Abdullah Asiran

ROTTERDAM (AA) - Two ships of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which are sailing towards Gaza to challenge the decade-long Israeli blockade in the region arrived in Rotterdam city on Tuesday.

The ships "Falestina" (Palestine) and "Mairead" (named after Nobel Peace Prize winner Mairead Maguire) were welcomed in the Dutch city.

As part of this year’s campaign launched by the international Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), six boats started to sail on May 15, which also marked the 70th anniversary of the foundation of Israel -- an event Palestinians refer to as the "Nakba" or "Catastrophe".

Under the slogan "Right to a Just Future for Palestine", the boats will stop at a number of European ports, including those in Denmark, Britain, Italy, Spain and Greece, before their last leg to Gaza.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, former Swedish deputy Jan Stromdahl, who is joining the flotilla on the Falestina boat, said the main goal of the flotilla is to break the siege of the Gaza Strip and create awareness on the dire situation in Gaza.

Stromdahl said he has joined as a volunteer; he is also a sailor and wants to stand in solidarity with Palestinians.

"Israel must accept it sooner or later, we will continue to pressure Israel and we will show our opinion, we need to show that we will not give up the struggle," he said.

Karen Sanfridson, an activist aboard the ship, said it was important for her to meet Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and to show them the activities they were doing for them.

"I do not think Israel is going to let the boats approach Gaza; for me it is important and sufficient to influence the people in the countries we are crossing during the route," she said.

The boats are expected to arrive in the Gaza Strip by the beginning of July.

By the end of 2016, 1.3 million Gazans depended on international aid in order to survive, while nearly half of families in Gaza lacked access to secure food supplies, according to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Every year for eight years now the Freedom Flotilla Coalition has been launching a new campaign to challenge the blockade.

On May 31, 2010, Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish activists on the Mavi Marmara boat convoy -- which was part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition -- in international waters; it was headed for Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid; another activist later succumbed to his injuries.