MARMARIS (Turkiye): Ships from the Global Sumud Flotilla set sail for a third time on Thursday from southern Turkiye, after earlier attempts to deliver aid to Gaza were intercepted by Israel in international waters.

The flotilla had previously departed from Spain on April 12, but Israeli forces intercepted vessels in the group, taking more than 100 pro-Palestinian activists to Crete and detaining two others in Israel.

Activists on the flotilla departing from the Turkish port of Marmaris said the flotilla needed to reach Gaza to provide much-needed aid to the enclave at a time when global attention had shifted elsewhere, including to the impact of the Iran war.

“It’s very important that what’s happening around the world is not allowing us to see Gaza for the situation as it is,” said Susan Abdullah, a member of the flotilla’s steering committee.

“The blockade is still on. The aid is not coming in.” Katy Davidson, an activist from the British delegation on the flotilla, said the group had previously been intercepted between Sicily and Crete. She criticised the response of the British government, which “did nothing”.

Davidson added that even if the flotilla failed to reach Gaza, any interception would still help draw attention to the situation.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2026