Third Gaza Freedom Flotilla sets sail from Greece

CRETE, Greece  – The Third Gaza Freedom Flotilla has left the Greek island of Crete and is expected to come close to the shores of Gaza within four days, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said in an official statement on Saturday.

Human rights activists from all over the world are aboard the flotilla, and have been joined by an Arab member of the Israeli parliament, Basel Ghattas, and Tunisia's former president Mohamed al-Moncef al-Marzouki.

If weather conditions permit and the Israelis don’t create any hindrances, it is estimated that the flotilla should arrive in Gaza between two and four days, the statement added.

More than three boats are part of the flotilla with more than 50 crew members and passengers from about 20 countries.

"As a human being and an Israeli citizen, I do not want to stay silent over Israel's human rights violations," Zohar Chamberlain Regev, a member of the organisation committee of the flotilla, told Anadolu Agency on Saturday.

Regev said that the flotilla aimed to give Palestinians the right to move freely without being exposed to any restriction by the illegal Israeli occupation.

"We want to reach Gaza. This is the only way to show the people of Gaza that we are in solidarity with them."

The flotilla was invited by Palestinians through numerous organisations, and aims to bring aid to help the wounded, homeless, unemployed and displaced due to Israeli military operations, according to the statement.

The coalition said its aim was not to act against Israel but against its occupation and added that it would not be needed had governments around the world reacted to the Israeli government’s acts against Palestinians.

The Third Freedom Flotilla has made several stops on its way to Gaza, in Greece, Spain and France.

The flotilla includes the Canadian Boat to Gaza, Greece Ship to Gaza, Freedom Flotilla Italia, Norway Ship to Gaza, South Africa Palestine Solidarity Alliance, Spain Rumbo a Gaza and Turkey's Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH).

The first Gaza Freedom Flotilla expedition in May 2010 ended in tragedy after Israeli commandos killed eight Turkish nationals and an American of Turkish origin in a raid on the flotilla ship, Mavi Marmara.

Another person of Turkish nationality died in a hospital in 2014 after being in coma for almost four years.