Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham are set to join the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s (FFC) next voyage aboard the “Madleen” to challenge Israel’s ongoing blockade of Gaza. The vessel, departing from Catania, Sicily on Sunday, carries humanitarian aid and prominent activists, including European Parliament member Rima Hassan and Palestinian-American lawyer Huwaida Arraf.
Cunningham, known for his role as Davos Seaworth, has long supported Palestinian rights. The mission follows a previous FFC attempt in May, which was aborted after the “Conscience” vessel was reportedly attacked by drones in international waters off Malta. The FFC has blamed Israel for the strike, which severely damaged the ship.
MEP Hassan described the “Madleen” journey as both an act of aid delivery and protest. “We reject the blockade, the genocide, and the impunity Israel continues to enjoy,” she said in a video posted on social media.
Although Israel eased the blockade slightly last week, only minimal aid has entered Gaza, where famine looms. A rush on limited food supplies at distribution points recently led to the deaths of at least three Palestinians and left dozens injured.
Major humanitarian agencies, including the UN, have boycotted the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, accusing it of using aid as a tool of control and deepening suffering. The World Health Organization warns that a quarter of Gaza’s population now faces starvation, acute malnutrition, and escalating death rates.
