Detained by Israel, activists aboard ‘Handala’ call for global hunger strike
The 21 activists who were on-board Hanzalah, (حنظلہ) or Handala, called for global hunger strike hours before the Freedom Flotilla Coalition aid ship was stormed by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IDF) and they were detained
[FFC Tracker showing the Handala aid ship location when it was intercepted and stormed by the Israeli occupation forces. (Inset) France’s MEP Emma Fourreau.]
Mediterranean Sea: The 21 activists who were on-board Hanzalah, (حنظلہ) or Handala, called for global hunger strike hours before the Freedom Flotilla Coalition aid ship was stormed by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IDF) and they were detained.
“Handala was illegally boarded by Israel military in international waters, around 40 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza. Before interception, the 21 crew made this statement: if attacked they will join the global hunger strike for Gaza”, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) said in a statement.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition also urged people around the world, especially those living in the countries the activists hail from, to raise their voice against the Israeli war crimes.
“Call your governments now and hold them accountable. Demand the end to their complicity in Israel’s war crimes and genocide, and immediate release of all ‘Handala’ crew members”, the coalition said.
“The Israeli army is here. We are throwing our phones into the sea. See you soon. Stop the genocide", France’s MEP Emma Fourreau said as the Israeli forces intercepted the aid ship.
Video: The Moment Israelis Storm Handala
En direct, un acte de piraterie commis en eaux internationales par l’armée israélienne.
— Emma Fourreau (@emma_frr) July 26, 2025
L’équipage du Handala a été kidnappé illégalement. Exigez sa libération immédiate : @EmmanuelMacron @jnbarrot pic.twitter.com/5GIEQPYDGT
The Handala flotilla carrying aid to Palestinians has on-board volunteers from the United States, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, Australia and others.
The aid ship was stormed by the Israeli Occupation Forces early in the morning Sunday July 27, 2025 when it was in international waters around 40 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza.
The Handala aid flotilla has been launched more than a month after Madleen flotilla was illegally seized by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IDF) few kms from Gaza. It went more than 100 kilometers beyond the furthest point MADLEEN reached.
Why Handala?
The Madleen aid ship was named after the first Palestinian fisherwman Madleen Kulab. On the other hand, Handala or Hanzala has been named after the Palestinian caricature Handala—a barefoot refugee child who turned his back on injustice and vowed not to turn around until Palestine is free, the coalition said.
The character was created in 1969 by political cartoonist Naji al-Ali, and first took its current form in 1973. Handala became the signature of Naji al-Ali's cartoons and remains an iconic symbol of Palestinian identity and defiance.
The Handala aid flotilla is dedicated to the children of Gaza.
“The boat carries his spirit, and that of every child in Gaza who has been denied safety, dignity, and joy”, the coalition said.
Dedicated to Gaza Children
In 2023 and 2024, Handala sailed to ports across Europe and the UK, breaking through the media blockade, engaging the public, and building solidarity through press events, art installations, and political education in every port it visited.
“The children of Gaza—who make up over half the population—have been living under a brutal blockade and siege for their entire lives. Since October 2023, over 50,000 have been killed or injured, tens of thousands orphaned, and nearly a million forcibly displaced and homeless. All now face famine, disease, and trauma few of us can imagine. This mission is for them”, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said.
The United Nations, dozens of agencies and governments around the world have been sounding the alarm about Israel’s man-made famine in Gaza, where aid sites have turned into death traps, Al Jazeera reported.
More than 1,000 people have now died while waiting for food by Israeli forces and US mercenaries.
The Israeli occupation forces have killed at least 15 Palestinians in attacks on Gaza since the early hours of Sunday, a day after killing at least 71 people, including 42 aid seekers, as five more Palestinians starve to death.
On Sunday, hundreds of children took to the streets of Gaza in the largest protest of its kind since the genocide began on October 7, 2023, marching with empty stomachs and chanting “No to hunger, no to death.”
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