Climate activist Greta Thunberg and eleven other campaigners set sail on Sunday afternoon for Gaza aboard a vessel aimed at “breaking Israel’s siege” of the besieged enclave, according to organisers.

The sailing boat Madleen, operated by the activist network Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departed from the port of Catania in southern Sicily. Its mission, the activists said during a press conference ahead of departure, is to deliver a limited amount of aid and to raise international awareness about the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Among those on board are Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament of Palestinian descent. Hassan has previously been barred from entering Israel due to her outspoken opposition to the Israeli military campaign in Gaza.

The flotilla is the latest in a series of high-profile activist efforts to challenge Israel’s naval blockade, in place since 2007, which Israeli authorities say is necessary to prevent weapons smuggling to Hamas. Critics argue the blockade has contributed to dire humanitarian conditions in the densely populated territory.

Agencies.