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A Turkish activist aboard a humanitarian aid vessel bound for Gaza said Saturday that the crew remains hopeful of reaching their destination despite Israeli warnings of interception and detention.
Huseyin Suayb, speaking via Zoom from the sailboat "Madleen," told Anadolu Agency that the 18-meter vessel is currently 310 kilometers from Gaza. "Tomorrow, God willing, we will be in Gaza if we don't face any obstruction," he said.
The vessel departed June 1 from San Giovanni Li Cuti Port in Catania, Italy, as part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition's mission to break the blockade on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians facing hunger amid ongoing Israeli attacks.
Suayb, who has lived in Germany for four years and joined the flotilla from there, said the crew's morale remains strong despite uncertainty about their fate. "We are not thinking too much about what will happen to us," he said. "We still have hope to enter Gaza."
The activist expressed mixed emotions about the mission, noting that his original goal was to help break the blockade, enable humanitarian aid deliveries, and facilitate the opening of the Rafah Border Crossing.
Suayb emphasized the peaceful nature of their mission, saying the crew consists entirely of non-violent activists. "We are completely peaceful activists. We don't harbor any threat," he said. "None of our friends knows how to fight or use weapons."
He noted that Israel has made statements about arresting and deporting flotilla participants, calling such actions "manipulation and black propaganda." The crew has been training aboard the vessel to avoid any defensive reactions if confronted. "We are preparing and training ourselves not to show defensive reflexes even when they hit us," Suayb said.
While acknowledging that the aid cargo is symbolic given Gaza's 1.5 million population, Suayb stressed that breaking the blockade is the mission's primary objective. "We cannot carry aid that would heal the wounds of Gaza's people," he said. "But our mission's main purpose is to break the Gaza blockade."
He pointed to humanitarian aid trucks that have been waiting at Gaza's border crossings for months, prevented from entering by Israeli restrictions. "They cannot enter because they are blocked by Israel's blockade, and because of this, people in need are dying from burning, hunger, and bombs," he said.
During the interview, Suayb showed the vessel's limited facilities and aid supplies, including high-nutrition biscuits and medical supplies. The 12-person crew, which includes Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and Irish actor Liam Cunningham, has been conserving water by using seawater for washing clothes and dishes.
The activist became emotional when asked about his message to Gaza's people. "May the people of Gaza forgive us. We are doing what we can. This is our power," he said, his eyes filling with tears.
Suayb made a personal pledge: "I personally promise that I will stand as a plaintiff alongside all the civilians, small children who lost their lives here, as a witness against evil in the afterlife."
He called for greater international awareness, drawing parallels to historical atrocities. "We learned great lessons after the last Nazi massacre. We created solutions and systems to prevent this from happening again, but unfortunately it is happening again now because the rules that were put in place are not being followed," he said.
Israeli Army Spokesperson Effie Defrin previously announced that Israel was preparing to take action against the humanitarian aid vessel. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition organized this latest mission to break the blockade on Gaza and deliver aid to the region. Israeli authorities have not made direct contact with the flotilla, though crew members are aware through media reports that their movements are being monitored.
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