CATANIA, ITALY – Renowned climate activist Greta Thunberg has made international headlines once again, but this time her focus has dramatically shifted from environmental advocacy to the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The 22-year-old Swedish campaigner set sail on Sunday, June 1st, 2025, from the Sicilian port of Catania, Italy, aboard the sailing boat “Madleen,” as part of a mission organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition aimed at “breaking Israel’s siege” of the devastated territory.
Thunberg, alongside 11 other activists including “Game of Thrones” actor Liam Cunningham and French Member of European Parliament Rima Hassan, is attempting to deliver humanitarian aid and raise “international awareness” about the dire conditions in Gaza. At a press conference held in Catania prior to their departure, Thunberg became visibly emotional, stating, “We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying. Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity. And no matter how dangerous this mission is, it’s not even near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the live-streamed genocide.”
The mission of the “Madleen” is described by organizers as a nonviolent protest against what they term “Israel’s illegal siege and escalating war crimes.” The activists anticipate a seven-day journey to their destination, provided they are not intercepted by Israeli forces, which have maintained a naval blockade on Gaza since 2007.
This voyage comes amidst grim reports from international organizations, including the World Health Organization and various UN agencies, warning of an imminent famine in Gaza. Despite Israel’s recent easing of some blockade restrictions in mid-May, aid groups report severe difficulties in delivering sufficient assistance to the territory’s roughly 2 million Palestinians due to restrictions, breakdowns in law and order, and widespread looting. Israel, which vehemently rejects allegations of genocide, states its blockade is a necessary security measure to prevent weapons smuggling to Hamas, the militant group that governs Gaza.
The current attempt marks a second recent effort by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition to reach Gaza by sea. A previous vessel, the “Conscience,” was allegedly attacked by two drones in international waters near Malta in early May, an incident the group blamed on Israel, though Jerusalem has not publicly commented.
Thunberg, who rose to global prominence for her Fridays for Future climate strikes, has recently broadened her activism to include pro-Palestinian causes, a move that has drawn both support and criticism. Her participation in this high-profile mission underscores a growing trend among some climate activists to link environmental justice with other global humanitarian and political issues.
As the “Madleen” sails towards the besieged Gaza Strip, the world watches to see the outcome of this bold, nonviolent act of defiance and its potential impact on the international discourse surrounding the ongoing conflict.
