Strong Mediterranean winds forced a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, along with hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists, including environmental activist Greta Thunberg, to return to Barcelona, organizers reported.

Around 20 ships set sail from the Spanish city with the aim of “opening a humanitarian corridor and ending the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people” amid the war between Israel and Hamas, said the initiative Global Sumud Flotilla — “sumud” in Arabic means resilience.

“Due to unsafe weather conditions, we conducted a trial sail and then returned to port to wait for the storm to pass,” the statement said, without specifying exactly when the ships returned to Barcelona. The organization added that the decision was made to avoid complications for the smaller vessels, as wind gusts exceeded 55 kilometers per hour. “Our priority is the safety and well-being of all participants, as well as the success of our mission,” the organizers emphasized.

Spanish media reported that a meeting is planned to decide whether the expedition will resume. Among the activists from dozens of countries are not only Thunberg but also Irish actor Liam Cunningham, Spanish actor Eduard Fernández, as well as European lawmakers and public figures, including former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau.

The flotilla is expected to reach Gaza in mid-September. The mission follows Israel’s blocking of two previous activist attempts to deliver aid by sea in June and July.

The UN has already declared a famine in Gaza, warning that 500,000 people are facing “catastrophic” conditions.

The war was triggered by an unprecedented cross-border attack by Hamas against Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to official counts. Palestinian fighters captured 251 hostages, 47 of whom remain in Gaza, including 25 reported dead by the Israeli army.

In response, the Israeli offensive has killed at least 63,459 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to data from the Gaza Health Ministry, run by Hamas, which the UN considers reliable. | BGNES