#global-sumud-flotilla

#global-sumud-flotilla

Tens of thousands of people are marching in major cities across Europe to protest against Israel's war on Gaza, with mass rallies taking place in urban centres across the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Portugal. Protests in Spain's second-largest city, Barcelona, as well as in Madrid, were planned weeks ago, while calls for demonstrations in Rome and Lisbon followed widespread anger after Israeli forces intercepted a humanitarian aid flotilla the Global Sumud Flotilla that had set sail from Barcelona for Gaza, trying to break Israel's blockade of the famine-struck Palestinian territory.

an official who has visited the activist in prison said she claimed she was detained in a cell infested with bedbugs, with too little food and water. The embassy has been able to meet with Greta, reads the email. She informed of dehydration. She has received insufficient amounts of both water and food. She also stated that she had developed rashes which she suspects were caused by bedbugs. She spoke of harsh treatment and said she had been sitting for long periods on hard surfaces.

The National Students' Union organized Thursday's protests under the slogan "stop the genocide against the Palestinian people." Demonstrations, which took part in at least 39 cities and towns, varied in size from small groups to thousands who turned out in Barcelona and the capital Madrid, where students held banners with messages like "Stop Everything to Stop the Genocide," "All Eyes on the Global Sumud Flotilla," and "Free Palestine!"

Rana Hamida is a volunteer on the Global Sumud Flotilla heading for Gaza.

Late on Tuesday, the Alma, a British-flagged vessel, was hit while moored off the port of Sidi Bou Said, sparking a fire that was later contained. Nobody was injured. The incident follows Monday night's strike on the flotilla's main ship, the Family Boat, which also caught fire after being hit by a suspected drone in the same port. The Family Boat a 23-metre (76ft) Portuguese-flagged vessel carrying the flotilla's steering committee had six people on board.

Israel [is] very clear about their genocidal intent. They want to erase the Palestinian nation. They want to take over the Gaza Strip, said Thunberg, hitting out at politicians and governments failing to uphold international law. They are failing to do their most basic, legal duties to act, to prevent a genocide, to stop their complicity and support for the occupation and the genocide of Palestinians, she said.

Volunteers from across the world have come together in the main hall of one of Spain's oldest labour unions, the UGT once a registration centre for international volunteers who came to Spain to fight fascism during the Spanish Civil War. Now it has trained the nonviolent international volunteers Palestine supporters, activists, journalists and politicians who will sail on the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza on Sunday.