In April 2024, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition prepared to send three large vessels from Istanbul to the besieged people of Gaza. Two of the vessels, which carried thousands of tonnes of aid, bore the flag of Guinea-Bissau. At the 11th hour, however, Israel's government persuaded Guinea-Bisseau to withdraw its flag, effectively stranding the flotilla in Turkish waters.
Undeterred, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition has launched another vessel from Oslo. It's name is "Handala". Handala is gradually making its way from northern Europe to the Mediterranean, where it will attempt to break the siege of Gaza in the summer.
On June 19, 2024, Dimitri Lascaris spoke with a passenger on Handala, John Turnbull. In 2018, Turnbull captained a vessel called "Freedom" which also attempted to break the siege of Gaza. When the Freedom approached Gaza, Israeli forces boarded the ship in international waters. Turnbull, his crew and the passengers were then kidnapped to Israel against their will. There, they were imprisoned briefly and then deported.
In 2018, Lascaris interviewed Turnbull shortly after he emerged from an Israeli jail. That interview can be seen here: imemc.org/arti....
In late April of this year, on the day when Guinea-Bisseau withdrew its flag from the humanitarian vessels that were set to sail to Gaza, Lascaris reported on its decision from Istanbul, Turkey. That report can be seen here: • The Freedom Flotilla: ...
NOTE: A shorter version of this video was published earlier today. That version mistakenly omitted introductory comments by Lascaris.
27 сен 2024
