Gaza Freedom Flotilla: Its History and Present Developments
- Ofek Kehila
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Had it not been intercepted by the Israeli navy, the June 2025 Gaza Freedom Flotilla would have reached Gaza on Monday. However, this is not the first attempt by the Free Gaza Movement and other groups to break the Israeli–Egyptian naval blockade on the Gaza Strip. A glimpse at the history of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla could shed light on the possible outcomes of present events.
Gaza Freedom Flotilla: The origins
The history of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla can be traced back to August 2008, when the Free Gaza Movement, a coalition of human rights activists, pro-Palestinian groups, and possibly Islamist organizations, sent two ships with 46 activists and 200 hearing aids to Gaza. Despite the blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt, the Israeli navy did not stop this first attempt. The ships were allowed to reach Gaza, deliver the hearing aids, and return to Cyprus. In October of the same year, a second sailing was also allowed to reach Gaza. However, the following four attempts, carried out in 2008–2009, were not as successful: in the first two attempts, vessels were warned to turn back, and in the latter two, the ships were intercepted and towed to the port of Ashdod.
2010 Gaza Flotilla
In May 2010, a six-ship flotilla was sent from Turkey to the Gaza Strip by the Free Gaza Movement and the IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, a Turkish GONGO that is regarded by Israel, Germany, and other countries as an Islamist terrorist organization. Once again, Israeli forces intercepted the ships, but this time the outcome was disastrous: in the aftermath of the violent confrontation, nine of the passengers died, and ten Israeli soldiers were wounded. Following the May 2010 events, Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu officially apologized to Turkey's PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and offered $20 million in compensation.
Gaza Flotillas between 2011–2025
During 2011–2024, several sailings were intercepted by the Israeli navy (2015, 2016) or eventually did not take place (2011, 2024). On May 2, 2025, a ship sent to Gaza by the Free Gaza Movement was struck by drones near Malta. The attack caused a fire that was put out by a patrol boat of the Armed Forces of Malta.
2025 Gaza Freedom Flotilla
The June 2025 Gaza Freedom Flotilla is the latest, ongoing attempt to reach Gaza by sea, despite the Israeli–Egyptian blockade imposed since Hamas’ 2007 takeover. The flotilla, led by the ship Madleen, reached Egypt and was expected to arrive at Gaza on Monday, June 9, with 12 passengers on board, including climate activist Greta Thunberg and a member of the European parliament, Rima Hassan.
However, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Sunday that the flotilla will not be allowed to break the blockade. He advised Greta Thunberg and the rest of the flotilla crew to turn back and avoid getting closer to Gaza.
Could Greta have made it to Gaza? Judging by experience, the answer appears to be no. Since the first two successful attempts in 2008, no boat or flotilla has ever been allowed to dock in the Gaza Strip. It is therefore plausible that the fate of the current flotilla will be similar to previous sailings: interception by the Israeli navy. Nevertheless, as always in the Middle East, nothing is certain.
Whatever the outcome of current events, climate activists in Israel are now privately organizing a “counter-flotilla” aiming to accompany the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in denunciation of what they perceive as Greta Thunberg’s “climate hypocrisy.” So far, the counter-flotilla only consists of a single yacht with 10 participants on board, but as time passes, more vessels and activists from Israel may join the initiative.
Possible Outcomes
Given the history of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, five possible outcomes of current events emerge:
Scenario I: Similar to the first two attempts in 2008, the Madleen and activists aboard are allowed to reach Gaza. This scenario is possible but unlikely.
Scenario II: The flotilla is warned by the Israeli navy and turns back.
Scenario III: The Israeli navy intercepts the Madleen and tows it to the port of Ashdod.
Scenarios IV and V: Similar to the May 2010 sailing, the 12 activists aboard the Madleen confront the Israeli navy, which could lead once again to a disastrous outcome. Alternatively, similar to the May 2025 incident, the flotilla is struck by drones.
Ofek Kehila (Israel, 1987) is a scholar of Spanish Golden Age literature and Latin American literature of the 20th and 21st centuries. His research bridges the gap between those traditions, highlighting their aesthetic, cultural, and historical dialogue. He holds a PhD from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2022) and was a postdoctoral fellow at Freie Universität Berlin (2023-2025).