The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) has set sail from Tunisia, with organisers and participants vowing to break Israel's blockade on Gaza and deliver critical humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the famine-stricken territory, reports Al Jazeera on Sunday.
Activists from more than 40 countries are aboard the convoy that departed from the northern port city of Bizerte. Its departure was delayed after two flotilla vessels came under attack last week.
Last Monday, the main ship Family was struck by a drone while docked in Sidi Bou Said. A second boat, Alma, was targeted on Tuesday night. No casualties were reported in either incident.
According to the organisers, the Global Sumud Flotilla, named after the Arabic word for "resilience", represents one of the most determined efforts yet to challenge Israel's blockade of Gaza's coastline.
The attempt comes amid growing alarm from the United Nations, which warns that over half a million Palestinians in Gaza face catastrophic hunger, with aid groups and legal experts describing Israel's war on Gaza as a genocide.
Last week's attacks on the flotilla follow previous incidents in which flotilla ships were intercepted or targeted at sea.
In early June, Israeli naval forces intercepted the aid ship Madleen in international waters, seizing its cargo and detaining its 12-member crew. In May, another vessel, Conscience, was disabled by drone strikes near Maltese waters, preventing it from continuing its journey.
Al Jazeera's Hassan Massoud, reporting from the Shireen Abu Akleh boat, said: "The global flotilla has set sail from the port in Tunisia to the Gaza Strip, its main destination, without any scheduled stops, 14 days after its departure from Barcelona.
"The ships are carrying food and humanitarian aid towards Gaza. Volunteers and participants have said this mission is non-violent; they only aim to open a corridor to deliver aid towards Palestinian people in Gaza."
Several prominent figures have joined the flotilla, including climate activist Greta Thunberg, Irish actor Liam Cunningham, and Barcelona's former Mayor Ada Colau.
The flotilla also includes at least four members of the Italian parliament, along with dozens of other elected officials and activists.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told parliament that Rome had urged Israel to respect the rights of its citizens aboard the flotilla, including parliamentarians.
"Our embassy in Tel Aviv, under my instruction, talked to the Israeli authorities about the respect of the rights for all the fellow citizens who are part of the flotilla, including among them several members of parliament," Tajani said.
"I also called [Israeli] Foreign Minister [Gideon] Saar to personally make him aware of the matter."
Tajani said 58 Italians are among the participants and would be provided consular and diplomatic support.
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