The Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian humanitarian convoy, is preparing to depart from the Port Vell in Barcelona with more than 70 vessels and over 3,000 participants — nearly double the size of a previous 2025 attempt — in what organisers describe as the largest-ever effort to reach Gaza (the Palestinian coastal enclave under Israeli blockade since 2007) by sea. The fleet, which includes the NGO vessel Open Arms and Greenpeace's Arctic Sunrise, is carrying medicines, food, educational materials, and nearly 1,000 healthcare workers, with a final departure expected mid-week depending on weather conditions. The mission aims to challenge Israel's maritime blockade amid what organisers call a worsening humanitarian crisis, with a previous flotilla intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters last year, leaving dozens of activists — including 26 Spanish nationals — detained for several days.