Madleen

Artwork: Sand sculpture by Yazid Abu Jarad (@yazidabujarad), Gaza City, 2025

The freedom flotilla ship, the Madleen, with its crew of twelve people was intercepted and boarded illegally yesterday in international waters by the IOF, the crew taken to Ashod Port to be processed and then handed over into custody by the Israeli authorities to be moved to the Ramleh detention facility, with the possibility they may be permitted to fly out of Tel Aviv. The Madleen crew’s mission to reach Gaza with humanitarian aid may not have been successful, but it was a resounding symbol of solidarity and hope worldwide in its journey to break the humanitarian blockade on Gaza. In many ways it is a spearhead as further humanitarian actions to break the aid blockade by international citizens is happening with the Samud Convory from Tunisia with 7,000 plus people driving to Cairo to meet with thousands from all over the world prepared for the March to Gaza on June 12. For Gazans, the Madleen was a much needed symbol that they were not forgotten, that the world is watching and that people are prepared to act and to help them in whatever way they can to end the genocide. Palestinian artist Yazid Abu Jarad and a group of young people, created an artwork on the beach of Gaza City near the port where the Madleen was supposed to dock. For Abu Jarad the sculpture expressed his solidarity with the activists aboard the ship, a gesture of appreciation and defiance against the ongoing siege and aggression.