A second pro-Hamas protest flotilla departed for the Gaza Strip from Siracusa, Italy, on Sunday morning, a little over a month after a previous attempt to breach Israel’s naval blockade was peacefully intercepted by the Israeli Navy.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), the group behind the earlier mission, is behind the launch of the new vessel, the Handala.

French Member of the European Parliament Emma Fourreau and French MP Gabrielle Cathala are among those on board.

In the previous attempt last month, the Madleen, with high-profile figures aboard such as Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and MEP Rima Hassan, was intercepted by Shayetet 13 naval commandos. The activists were peacefully detained, taken to Israel, and later deported.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)