Gaza (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Greta Thunberg’s Gaza aid flotilla returns to Barcelona due to stormy weather, halting the attempt to break Israel’s naval blockade and ensure safety.
As reported by The Telegraph, stormy weather forced Greta Thunberg’s Gaza flotilla to return to Barcelona within 24 hours.
Dozens of boats set sail on Sunday, 31 August, aiming to break the Israeli blockade but returned early to ensure the safety of crews.
What did the Flotilla say about returning after sea trial?
The Global Sumud Flotilla Mission stated in a statement,
“We conducted a sea trial and then returned to port to allow the storm to pass.”
It added,
“This meant delaying our departure to avoid risking complications with the smaller boats.”
Why did activists pause the Gaza mission amid storms and tensions?
Organisers reported winds of up to 35mph and gave no update on resuming the journey.
Activists from 44 nations joined the 20-boat flotilla. The fleet featured actor Liam Cunningham and former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau.
The aid mission was planned as Israel escalated its Gaza offensive, limiting food and supplies in the northern area. Barcelona’s old port saw thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators cheer the flotilla as it departed Sunday.
Spain’s weather agency Aemet issued alerts for severe rain and storms in Catalonia, forcing the flotilla’s suspension.
What did Greta Thunberg say after being deported from Israel over the Gaza blockade?
Greta Thunberg was deported from Israel less than three months after being stopped by the navy during an earlier blockade attempt.
Israel has maintained that its 2007 naval blockade is crucial to preventing weapons from reaching the Hamas militant group in Palestine. Authorities described earlier efforts, such as Thunberg’s June mission, as propaganda in favour of Hamas.
Ms Thunberg rejected allegations of anti-Semitism before her departure, stating,
“It is not anti-Semitic to say that we should not be bombing people, that one should not be living in occupation, that everyone should have the right to live in freedom and dignity, no matter who you are.”
She added,
“For every politician that is fuelling the genocide further, environmental and climate destruction, and further colonisation and fascism, there will be people escalating the resistance against that.”
Following their previous failed mission, Thunberg and fellow activists declined to view Hamas atrocity footage from Oct 7, Israel Defence Minister Katz confirmed.
He added,
“When they saw what it was about, they refused to continue watching.”
Ms Thunberg, later deported to Paris on an Israeli plane, stated that the group of activists
“were kidnapped in international waters…We were well aware of the risks of this mission. The aim was to get to Gaza and to be able to distribute the aid.”
What did David Lammy say about UK aid and Gaza’s humanitarian crisis?
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated in a statement,
“The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic, with famine in Gaza City and women and girls bearing the brunt of the suffering.”
He said,
“The UK is doing all we can to improve the situation, but we remain crystal clear: for aid to have impact, Israel must ensure it is allowed in and delivered safely and securely to civilians in desperate need.”
Mr Lammy added,
“This funding can only have maximum impact if the government of Israel allows it. Israel must ensure protection of civilians, including healthcare staff and health infrastructure, and enable the delivery of life-saving medicines, medical equipment and healthcare supplies into Gaza.”
The UK government pledged £3m on Sunday to support midwives and emergency medical aid in Gaza. However, it confirmed the assistance could only reach people if Israel allowed access to the region.
Key facts about the Gaza-Israel war
The war began on 7 October 2023 when Hamas militants attacked Israel from Gaza. Israeli authorities reported around 1,200 deaths, mostly civilians, with over 250 taken hostage.
By mid-2025, Gaza health authorities reported over 63,000 Palestinian deaths. A significant number of these were women and children, with indirect deaths likely higher.