GAZA, (PIC)
A spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Thameen Al-Kheetan, has urged Israeli authorities to lift all restrictions affecting basic necessities of life and allow the flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, coinciding with the launch of the “Global Sumud Flotilla.”
Al-Kheetan made the remarks during a briefing at the UN’s weekly press conference in Geneva on Tuesday.
Responding to a question about the fleet’s relaunch from Italy to deliver aid to Gaza, and last year’s interception of activist vessels, he stated that Israel, as an occupying power, is obligated to meet the basic needs of Palestinians in Gaza and ensure the removal of restrictions on the entry and delivery of humanitarian assistance.
He added that conditions in Gaza remain “extremely critical,” citing severe shortages of clean drinking water, food, and cooking gas, along with other essential supplies.
In a related development, the “Spring 2026 Mission” of the Global Sumud Flotilla set sail on Sunday from the Italian island of Sicily, aiming to break the blockade on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid after finalizing the preparations.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is a civilian initiative launched in 2025 by representatives of civil society organizations, activists, and volunteers from several countries to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
The fleet had initially departed on April 12 from Barcelona, Spain, before arriving in Sicily on April 23, where additional vessels and activists from Italy joined via the cities of Syracuse and Augusta.
This marks the second such initiative following the September 2025 mission, which ended when Israeli forces intercepted the ships in international waters in October of the same year and detained hundreds of international activists before deporting them.
