Israeli drones spotted above Gaza-bound aid ship ‘Madleen’

Late Monday night, an Israeli drone was spotted hovering over the Madleen aid ship  in international waters, 68 km off the Greek coast. The crew, en route to Gaza remained safe, but the incident highlighted the constant threat looming over their mission. 

These humanitarian activists knowingly risk their lives to bring relief to the starving and besieged people of Gaza.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg, along with 11 other international human rights activists, has embarked on a dangerous sea mission to Gaza

Aboard the Madleen, a ship launched by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), they aim to deliver essential aid to Palestinians facing starvation due to Israel’s ongoing siege. Gaza has remained under a crippling land, sea, and air blockade by Israel since 2007, with conditions deteriorating drastically over the past eight months.

The Madleen, named in honor of Gaza’s first and only fisherwoman, departed from Catania, Sicily, on June 1. The aid ship is scheduled to arrive in Gaza by June 7, covering a perilous 2,000 km (1,250-mile) journey. 

Read: Greta Thunberg faces death threats as she sails for Gaza on aid ship

The aid ship follows the legacy of earlier humanitarian missions, including the 'Ship to Bosnia' during the 1994 genocide, the 'Sofia' ship to Gaza in 2010, and the 'Estelle' voyage in 2011,  all launched to deliver aid and defy blockades amid humanitarian crises.

More than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel began its assault on Gaza in October 2023. The international community has been largely ineffective, pushing these activists to act independently in the face of mounting atrocities and inaction.

This is not the first time an aid ship has faced danger. In May, Israel bombed a “Conscience Ship” in international waters off Malta. 

A deadliest attack occurred in 2010 when Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara, the largest ship in an aid flotilla headed to Gaza. Nine Turkish activists were killed in that raid. The current mission faces similar risks but remains steadfast in its goal to deliver aid to the suffering.

The United Nations has declared Gaza the “hungriest place on Earth,” warning that the entire population of the besieged Palestinian territory is now at imminent risk of famine.

Over 54,607 people have been killed, the majority being women and children. According to Palestinian authorities in Gaza, nearly 11,000 bodies are still trapped under rubble.

Nearly 20 months into the war, there has been no significant progress toward ending Israel’s genocide against Palestnians.