International Freedom Fleet intends to sail to break the siege on Gaza

The International Freedom Flotilla Alliance has announced plans to provide humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip by sea, in light of the ongoing Israeli attacks and the dire humanitarian situation in the region.

The alliance held a press conference at the headquarters of the Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) in Istanbul, where it confirmed that it would  set sail to Gaza to end the illegal and deadly Israeli blockade on the Strip. The fleet aims to deliver thousands of tonnes of emergency humanitarian aid directly to the Palestinian people in Gaza.

The International Freedom Fleet Alliance includes various international civil society organisations and activists, including the IHH.

During the press conference, Bulent Yildirim, the chairman of the IHH, spoke about Israel’s continued blockade and increasing violence and massacres in Gaza. The Freedom Fleet’s goal is to lift the blockade on Gaza.

On his part, Zahir Birawi, a member of the Freedom Flotilla Alliance and official in charge of the international campaign to rescue Gaza (one of the projects of the alliance) confirmed that the required preparations for sailing from Lebanon and Libya are expected to be completed by the beginning of Ramadan. He added that the two ships are being supervised by local committees and initiatives from civil society in both countries, as well as the support of several charities and solidarity organisations from Arab countries. Birawi pointed out that the ships will carry thousands of tons of humanitarian aid, which will be delivered to the Palestinians in Gaza. “This new project which was launched in Istanbul is an additional qualitative step toward supporting our people in Gaza through the delivery of aid and efforts to break the blockade which was one of the main causes for igniting the situation in the region,” he said.

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