A new flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza was due to set sail on Sunday from the Spanish port of Barcelona, aiming to try to break the Israeli blockade on the coastal Palestinian enclave.

Thirty-nine boats were due to leave the Mediterranean port city, a spokesperson for the flotilla said, and more vessels also laden with medical aid and other supplies are expected to join along the route towards the Gaza Strip.

Rough seas mean the flotilla will sail to another port then head out to international waters later in the week, Thiago Avila, a member of the Global Sumud Flotilla’s organizing committee, told a press conference on Sunday.

The campaigners, who last year organized a similar flotilla carrying a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid, have described the upcoming mission as the biggest civilian-led mobilization against Israel’s actions in Gaza. Israeli officials repeatedly denounced last year’s mission, and previous smaller-scale attempts to reach Gaza by sea, as publicity stunts.

The flotilla seeks to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and unload aid in the war-torn territory to help the civilian population. Israel has said previous flotillas have brought insignificant amounts of aid, insisting that it allows sufficient amounts of aid to enter the Strip, though humanitarian organizations have said the amount entering is still insufficient.

The boats are expected to sail from Spain, Tunisia, and Italy toward Gaza.

From Barcelona to Gaza and beyond, we rise up for collective liberation! The Global Sumud Flotilla sets sail again. Even though we’ll have to wait out until the storm coming from Menorca has passed, all our boats are ready to continue onto........

© The Times of Israel