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Maritime Support Efforts to Break the Blockade on Palestine (Gaza Strip)

Support initiatives via sea to break the blockade on Palestine, particularly the Gaza Strip, and deliver humanitarian aid have generally been organized under the Free Gaza Movement and later under the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.

The most well-known and impactful of these efforts are the flotillas that were intercepted by Israel. Below is a chronological list of major maritime support efforts:

Humanitarian Aid Convoys to Palestine by Sea

Date	Main Organization(s)	Number of Ships	Approx. Number of Activists	Notes / Events
August 2008 – December 2008	Free Gaza Movement	~8 ships in 5 trips	Unknown (varies per trip)	First civilian ships reaching Gaza after the blockade began. The first five trips successfully reached Gaza.
31 May 2010	Gaza Flotilla (IHH, Free Gaza Movement, Ship to Gaza)	8 ships (Mavi Marmara, Challenger I, Rachel Corrie, etc.)	663 activists (from 32 countries)	Mavi Marmara Attack: Israeli forces attacked in international waters, resulting in the death of 10 Turkish activists. The flotilla was forcibly redirected to Ashdod Port.
July 2011	Freedom Flotilla II	More than 12 ships	~350+	Many ships were detained at departure ports (Greece) due to technical issues or political pressure. None of the ships reached Gaza.
2012	Freedom Flotilla: Estelle	1 sailing vessel (Estelle)	17 activists (from 7 countries)	Stopped by the Israeli Navy in international waters and redirected to Ashdod Port.
2015	Freedom Flotilla III	4 ships (Marie, Rachel, Vittorio, Marianne)	Unknown (18 on Marianne)	Main ship Marianne was stopped by the Israeli Navy and redirected to Ashdod Port.
2016	Women’s Boat to Gaza	1 boat (Zaytouna-Olivia)	13 female activists	The only boat carrying exclusively female activists, stopped by Israel in international waters.
2018	Justice Flotilla (Just Future for Palestine)	4 boats (Al Awda, Freedom)	~40 activists from 22 countries	Stopped by the Israeli Navy. Aid on the Al Awda was seized.
August–September 2025	Global Sumud Flotilla	~20 ships (initially)	497 people from 46 countries	A recent initiative. Departed from ports in Spain and Tunisia against the Israeli blockade. (According to available sources, the flotilla is planned for 2025, and the departure may be imminent.)