The Freedom Flotilla sailing towards Gaza with the objective of breaking the blockade imposed by Israel and delivering urgent humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people was intercepted this Monday, May 18, at 10 AM in international waters. On one of the boats, the Cabo Blanco, travels the Mallorcan volunteer Toni Riera.

Israeli authorities have detained nearly 175 activists who were on board vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla intercepted at dawn in international waters south of Greece, about a thousand kilometers from the coasts of the Gaza Strip and Israel. According to the Palestinian Solidarity Movement, among these detainees are two citizens from the Balearic Islands and, on the vessels near Crete, there are four more islanders.

A group of islanders (three from Mallorca and one from Menorca) will depart for Gaza from Barcelona this week with a new humanitarian flotilla. We speak with Lluís (Ciutadella) and Toni (Sant Llorenç), who have decided to join the new Flotilla Summud. Both share a goal: to force the opening of a sustained humanitarian corridor. The action combines the sending of aid with the will to denounce and raise awareness: “It is also a way to mobilize people and pressure governments to act,” they explain.