Middle East Monitor. Feb 27, 2026
Pro-Palestinian activists and civil society organisations have announced plans to launch a large maritime campaign towards the Gaza Strip next month, combining the “Freedom Flotilla” and the “Steadfastness Convoy” in an effort to break the ongoing siege.
Organisers said the initiative will involve approximately 200 vessels scheduled to set sail on 12 April from several Mediterranean ports, including locations in Spain, Italy and Tunisia. The campaign is being coordinated with the participation of around 200 civil society organisations worldwide.
Bülent Yıldırım, head of the Turkish Human Rights and Freedom Foundation (İHH), told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that donations are being collected across Europe, Asia, Africa, Turkey and the Gulf region to fund the purchase of the vessels. He argued that the scale of the convoy would make it difficult for Israel to stop, adding that “there is no other option but the sea”.
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Organisers expect thousands of participants from roughly 150 countries to take part in the initiative, which has received backing from groups including the Mavi Marmara Freedom Association, the İHH Foundation and the Palestine Support Platform.
According to organisers, the mission will extend beyond humanitarian aid delivery. The flotilla is also expected to transport healthcare workers, teachers, infrastructure and environmental specialists, lawyers and investigators documenting alleged war crimes in Gaza. More than 1,000 doctors, nurses and medical professionals are anticipated to join the convoy.
Yıldırım said the campaign was prompted by what organisers describe as severe restrictions on aid entering Gaza, alleging that humanitarian supplies are being obstructed and that residents are facing worsening hunger and disease amid the ongoing crisis.
The humanitarian organization Freedom Flotilla Coalition is in Catania from where the ship Madleen will depart on its mission to break the siege on Gaza, in Catania, Italy on June 01, 2025. [Salvatore Allegra – Anadolu Agency]