A number of warships have appeared, so an attack, boarding and capture appear to be imminent, and we anticipate that all communications with the vessel will be lost shortly. <\/span>Al Awda<\/span><\/i> is sailing under a Norwegian flag, carrying 22 people and a cargo of medical supplies, including #Gauze4Gaza. There are <\/span>people<\/span><\/a> from 16 nations on board, including human rights supporters, journalists and crew, along with \u20ac13,000 worth of <\/span>medical supplies<\/span><\/a>. The boat itself, a former fishing vessel from Norway, is a gift to Palestinian fishers in Gaza.<\/span><\/p>\n Four boats left Scandinavia in mid-May and have since stopped in 28 ports building support for a \u2018Just Future for Palestine\u2019, that demands Israel end its ongoing breaches of international law and the twelve-year blockade of Gaza, thereby enabling the only closed port in the Mediterranean to open and for people to have their right to freedom of movement. <\/span>Al Awda<\/span><\/i> is being followed by the Swedish-flagged yacht <\/span>Freedom<\/span><\/i>, which is also carrying medical supplies along with people from a number of nations. We anticipate that it will reach a similar area where the IOF attacked Al Awda within the next two days. Two smaller sailing boats that travelled from Scandinavia and sailed through the canal system in Netherlands, Belgium and France visiting inland ports, participated in the mission until Palermo. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe Freedom Flotilla Coalition calls on the Norwegian Government, the national governments of those aboard <\/span>Al Awda<\/span><\/i> and the <\/span>Freedom<\/span><\/i>, other national governments, and relevant international organizations to act immediately.”\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0said Torstein Dahle of Ship to Gaza Norway, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.<\/span>\u00a0“The international community must assume its responsibilities and demand that Israeli authorities ensure the safety of those on board, the speedy delivery of our gifts to the Palestinian people in Gaza, an end to the illegal blockade of Gaza, \u00a0and to stop impeding our legal right of innocent passage to Gaza to deliver our gift of much-needed medical supplies\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n -Ends-<\/b><\/p>\n More information about the \u2018Right to a Just Future for Palestine\u2019 flotilla and the FFC: <\/span> To arrange an interview or for more information, contact: <\/span>jfp.freedomflotilla.org\/media-room-2<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Web:<\/b> https:\/\/jfp.freedomflotilla.org<\/a> <\/span>
\n<\/span>Facebook:<\/b> https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FreedomFlotillaCoalition<\/span>
\n<\/span>Twitter:<\/b> @gazafflotilla<\/span><\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/jfp.freedomflotilla.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/The-participants-approaching-Gaza-300x169.jpg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"