Overview

• The Madleen departed Catania’s San Giovanni Li Cuti port on June 1 carrying a crew of 12 activists toward Gaza.
• Passengers include Fridays for Future founder Greta Thunberg and actor Liam Cunningham, who are leveraging their profiles to highlight civilian suffering in Gaza.
• The mission seeks to deliver humanitarian aid and establish a civilian maritime corridor independent of Israeli control.
• The departure follows an early May Israeli drone strike that damaged the Freedom Flotilla’s previous vessel, the Conscience.
• Local support is strong in Sicily’s second city after a May 25 pro-Palestinian rally drew around 5,000 participants in Catania.