Human rights organizations including Amnesty International say Israel acted in “flagrant violation of international law” when it intercepted the Freedom Flotilla ship Madleen in international waters as it was heading to Gaza carrying aid.
On June 9, Israel’s navy boarded the ship in the middle of the night and took the 12 crewmates, including climate activist Greta Thunberg, back to Israel against their will, then expelled them.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition formed in 2010 to break Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza.
In January 2024, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to allow aid in. However, in March of this year, Israel enforced a full siege on Gaza, driving Palestinians to starvation.
A Freedom Flotilla mission in May failed after their ship was attacked by drones.
In June, individuals from more than 50 countries gathered in Egypt for the planned 48-km Global March to Gaza, with the goal of pressuring Israel to open a corridor for uninterrupted humanitarian aid to flow. Many were immediately met with hostility from Egyptian authorities. Egypt is closely aligned with the U.S. and Israel.
Ibrahim Baig of Milton, ON, wrote for The Grind about why he was going on the march.
“Among the many heart-wrenching stories of Gaza’s children, some continue to linger painfully in my memory. Hind, Reem, Saly and thousands of other little souls will never grow up — some taken by Israeli bombs and missiles, others by bullets piercing through their little bodies,” he wrote.
“When I learned about this march, it felt like a calling I couldn’t refuse. For me, joining it goes beyond delivering aid — it’s about drawing the world’s attention to the loss of innocent lives and to the deep, ongoing suffering of humanity.”
This article appeared in the 2025 Summer issue.
