AID FLEET SETS SAIL

AN ARMADA of aid ships set sail from Spain yesterday to break Israel's blockade of Gaza.

- BY OWEN CONLON

The Global Sumud Flotilla left Barcelona carrying food, water and medicine. Activists on board, including Greta Thunberg, demanded safe passage and the opening of a humanitarian sea corridor.

The maritime convoy of about 20 vessels and delegations from 44 countries is thought to be the largest attempt to date to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip by sea, which has now lasted 18 years.

They will be joined by more ships from ports in Italy and Tunisia.

At a pre-departure press conference Irish actor Liam Cunningham played a clip of a Palestinian child named Fatima singing a song she wanted played at her funeral. She was killed in Gaza four days ago.

EMPATHY

He said: "What sort of a world have we slid into? What sort of a human hole have we found ourselves in, when children, beautiful angels, are making their own funeral arrangements?