A Canadian doctor was part of the July 2025 Gaza Freedom Flotilla, a civilian maritime mission to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza. Their ship Handala departed Syracuse, Italy on July 13 and travelled to Gallipoli before heading to Gaza.
In an interview with OMNI News, , Yipeng Ge said that there was a warm welcome by the communities in both Italian ports.
“When we departed Syracuse, Italy, we were met with such like grace and joy and support from the local community, including and especially at the port. And the same thing happened here as at our arrival at the port in Gallipoli.”
Handala is the latest vessel by Freedom Flotilla to set sail for Gaza on Friday, after another ship, Madleen, was seized by Israeli forces in June and all its members detained and deported from Israel.
Ge stressed that the Freedom Flotilla’s mission and aims are realistic, although he added that participants on board its ships have died in the past.
“Turkish activists on board the ‘Mavi Marmara’ flotilla as part of a coalition of flotillas that sailed in 2010, 10 activists were killed on board [..], and what did the people do? They sent more ships.”
When asked if the individuals on board Handala are in full realization that they might die, Ge said, “Of course.”
“This is not about our safety. This is not about our lives. Our lives are not worth more than Palestinian lives in Gaza. Full stop.”
Ge however won’t be completing the journey to Gaza with the ship Handala carrying aid and supplies, citing strategic and personal reasons.
“All so for strategic reasons, we think about who is best placed to be on the on the ship, and for various personal reasons, we all make decisions as to where we put our time and energy.”, Ge explained to OMNI.
Ge added that Canadian activists will keep boarding those flotillas until the Canadian government stops its alleged “complicity” with Israel.
“Until Canada does the bare minimum, there will be Canadian activists such as myself that will highlight this complicity so that we may see a world that Canada was [is] no longer complicit in Israel’s crimes.”
Two French parliamentarians and several activists from different countries are currently aboard Handala. The vessel is expected to arrive in Gaza a week from Friday.
Handala is a symbolic icon created by Naji al-Ali, a Palestinian political cartoonist, symbolizing the struggle and perseverance of the Palestinian people.
