The International Freedom Flotilla Coalition and Historical Process
The International Freedom Flotilla Coalition is an international umbrella platform acting to lift the inhumane blockade on Gaza and end Israel's occupation. The coalition includes stakeholder organizations from 12 countries and individual activists from many different countries. These stakeholder countries are Turkey, South Africa, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Canada, the United States, and Brazil.
The Coalition has been organizing flotillas since 2008 in cooperation with campaign communities, platforms, and official NGOs in these countries to break the inhumane blockade on Gaza from the sea. Although some of these flotillas reached the shores of Gaza, others were subjected to brutal Israeli attacks. Some of the flotilla organizations where the International Freedom Flotilla Coalition set sail to the Mediterranean are as follows:
- Free Gaza Movement: On August 23, 2008, a total of 44 activists set sail with two ships named Liberty and Free Gaza, and successfully reached Gaza. Delivering the medical supplies they brought to the people of Gaza, the activists visited hospitals and schools in Gaza for 6 days.
- Mavi Marmara: Setting sail on May 31, 2010, the humanitarian aid flotilla consisting of 6 ships carried over 700 people from 36 countries. However, the Mavi Marmara ship was attacked by the Israeli army in the international waters of the Mediterranean. Ten activists on board lost their lives, while other participants were detained in Israel and subjected to torture. Although the ship could not physically break the blockade, it caused Israel to be tried in international courts and lose its reputation in the international community.
- Freedom Flotilla III: In 2015, the flotilla aimed to set sail with the ships Marianne, Juliano, and Agios Nikolaos. Due to sabotage and technical problems, only the Marianne was able to approach Gaza. However, this ship was also raided by Israel on June 29, and the activists were deported after being held in Givon prison.
Akdeniz, Anadolu, Conscience (Vicdan), Handala, and Madleen Ships
One year after the genocide escalated by Israel on October 7, 2023, the Coalition launched a new maritime flotilla campaign in April 2024 to sail into the Mediterranean to raise public awareness against the ongoing genocide and break the blockade on Gaza. For this flotilla, three ships named Akdeniz, Vicdan (Conscience), and Anadolu from Turkey, and one named Handala from Norway were prepared. According to the plans, these ships were to sail into the Mediterranean, merge with Handala offshore, and then turn their route to Gaza. However, just 1 day after announcing it would set sail, the Akdeniz ship was left flagless when its flag state, Palau, withdrew its flag, and it could not set sail. The cargo ship named Anadolu continued its mission of delivering humanitarian aid to Egypt and Jordan in cooperation with state institutions during this process. Meanwhile, the Handala ship had to turn back due to technical failures resulting from sabotage, while the Conscience ship was blocked for a long time because Turkish authorities did not grant it permission to leave the port.
The 150-Day Resistance of the Conscience Ship and the Malta Attack
In this context, the Conscience (Vicdan) ship must be addressed specifically. Prepared in April 2024, the ship's flag state is Guinea-Bissau. Upon the failure of the other ships to sail, the Conscience ship became the only option for the mission. However, the Port Authority to which Haydarpaşa Port is affiliated did not provide the ship's exit clearance documents. Officials of the Mavi Marmara Freedom and Solidarity Association took their legal pursuit to the streets. After a 150-day "Freedom Watch" at Gate C of Haydarpaşa Port, the competent authorities permitted the ship to leave. The ship sailed to its first stop, Tunisia, and then set sail into the Mediterranean after taking activists on board.
However, arriving off the coast of Malta on May 1, the Conscience ship was subjected to an attack by two Israeli drones at 00:23 on the morning of May 2. Huge holes were formed in the bow of the ship, a fire broke out, and the electrical system was severely damaged. The fire was extinguished through the pressure exerted by the activists on the Maltese state authorities and the intervention of the Coast Guard teams. The activists were evacuated on May 4, and the crew 15 days later. On June 1, the ship was towed to the port of Izmir and taken in for repairs.
The Madleen Ship and the Ashdod Raid
Following the attack on the Conscience Ship, a vessel named after Palestine's youngest fisherwoman, Madleen Klab, set sail from the island of Sicily in southern Italy on June 1. Carrying symbolic food and medical supplies, this special sailboat was attacked by Israel around 03:30 on June 9. Surrounding the ship with boats and helicopters, Israeli forces poured a white chemical liquid to incapacitate the activists and then raided the ship. Emphasizing "non-violence," the activists wore their life jackets and raised their hands, offering no resistance. The activists were detained, taken to Givon Prison, and subsequently deported. Although the ship could not break the blockade, it succeeded in increasing international public pressure.
Freedom and Sumud Flotilla Eurasia: Setting Sail Once Again on April 12!
Handala set sail into the Mediterranean to be the voice of the children. Madleen became one of the symbolic ships of civilian solidarity. And especially Conscience (Vicdan)... The Conscience Ship was not just a boat; it was a call representing the common conscience of humanity. This attack on an unarmed and entirely civilian humanitarian aid ship showed that even at sea, human will is targeted. However, this attack did not stop us; on the contrary, it expanded our solidarity. The Sumud Flotilla, on the other hand, proved once again to the whole world that breaking the blockade on Gaza is possible.
Every initiative, every ship, every port gathering showed that where the law is suspended, conscience can rise. Now, combining the experience of the Freedom Flotilla and the Sumud Flotilla, we are setting out again as the Freedom and Sumud Flotilla Eurasia. We aim to sail into the Mediterranean with over 100 ships and boats on April 12.
This flotilla will not only carry aid. We aim to bring healthcare workers, educators, technical teams, lawyers, and humanitarian support elements to Gaza.
It involves a comprehensive organization such as:
- Technical equipment of the ships,
- Security and marine equipment,
- Medical and humanitarian aid supplies,
- Logistics and port expenses,
- International coordination processes.
We believe: Conscience cannot be silenced. Seas cannot be closed. Human will cannot be hindered.