Multiple boats and ships with hundreds of activists, including Luxembourgers, are on their way to Gaza in renewed efforts to break Israeli siege.
Whether the activists will be able to reach Gaza remains unclear, as Israel has previously intercepted vessels attempting to deliver aid to the enclave by sea.
The mission’s aim is to protest Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian Territories and to draw international attention to the brutal humanitarian disaster Gazans are presently facing.
Activists from 44 countries, including Luxembourg, are setting sail this week from ports across Europe, Africa, and Asia in an effort to reach Gaza, challenge the maritime blockade, and deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to the area, where conditions have rapidly deteriorated, particularly in light of the UN’s recent classification of famine.
According to Patrick Bosch of the Global Movement to Gaza Luxembourg:
"The flotilla's objectives are strictly humanitarian, breaking the illegal siege of the Gaza Strip, opening a humanitarian corridor, and demanding an end to the ongoing genocide in Gaza."
Prominent Swedish activist Gretha Thunberg will once again be taking part in the mission, joining a further thousand activists.
Luxembourger Maya Garman will be boarding one of the ships, in the hopes of opening a humanitarian corridor to deliver aid into Gaza. She shares:
"We finally have the opportunity to do something concrete to combat this colonial and genocidal imperialism that is spreading throughout the region, and especially against the blockade of Gaza that has been strangling Palestinians since 2007, without ever giving them a moment of peace. My motivation is clear: to help, to provide support, to behave like a human being, but also to show that there are people capable of putting aside their personal interests and remembering their humanity."
The Luxembourgish delegation is preparing to depart from the port of Tunis on Thursday. The arrival in Gaza is expected around 12 September, depending on sea conditions and possible interceptions.
Beyond its humanitarian mission, the Luxembourgish group also seeks to send a political message both to Israel and to their own government.
“We need an end to commercial and military cooperation with Israel at the European level,” said Patrick Bosch. “We are calling for the activation of mechanisms provided for in international treaties, and action on financial flows over which Luxembourg could exert influence, particularly investments by pension funds.”
The delegation also hopes the Luxembourgish government will offer diplomatic protection in the event of arrests or detentions by Israeli forces, a concern grounded in precedent, as previous flotillas attempting to reach Gaza were intercepted by the Israeli Defense Forces, with activists detained.
In parallel, Luxembourg’s position on the Israel-Palestine conflict appears to be evolving. The government recently announced that it intends to recognise the State of Palestine at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September, under certain conditions.
Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel are both expected to attend the session at the UN Headquarters in New York.
