A flotilla carrying activists and humanitarian aid for Gaza left Barcelona’s port on Monday for a second time after the vessels were forced to return a day earlier because of bad weather.
The Global Sumud Flotilla had departed on Sunday under much fanfare only to return a few hours later after a storm hit parts of Spain overnight. Facing winds of more than 56km/h (35mph), some of the smaller boats taking part in the mission would have been at risk, organisers said.
It was not immediately clear how many boats departed on Monday. Organisers had previously said that there were around 20 vessels with participants from 44 countries.
Dozens more boats were expected to join the flotilla from across the Mediterranean later this week, making it the largest attempt yet to break the Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory by sea.
This comes as Israel has stepped up its offensive in Gaza City, limiting the deliveries of food and basic supplies in northern Gaza. Food experts warned earlier this month that Gaza City was gripped by famine and that 500,000 people across the Gaza Strip were facing catastrophic levels of hunger.
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