DaysofPal— The vessel Handala 2, launched from Sweden as part of a European solidarity initiative, is continuing its voyage toward the Gaza Strip, making stops at several Scandinavian ports along the way.
The ship departed on May 14 from the southern Swedish city of Malmö under the “Sail to Gaza” project, a campaign led by civil society groups from Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
Organizers say the mission aims to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza and draw international attention to the ongoing Israeli blockade.
According to Janet Eskaniella, a representative of the initiative in Sweden, the vessel completed its tour of Swedish ports on June 15 and is currently sailing toward the coasts of Norway and Denmark.
It is expected to remain at a port in southern Denmark until the end of July before continuing toward the Mediterranean Sea.
Eskaniella said the ship is scheduled to join a broader international effort, the “Global Sumud Flotilla,” in September, which aims to reach Gaza as part of coordinated maritime actions.
Prior to that, Handala 2 will join the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an international network that has organized similar solidarity voyages for years in support of Palestinians and in opposition to the Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza.
“The primary goal of this initiative is to end the Israeli blockade on Gaza,” Eskaniella said, adding that visits to Scandinavian ports are intended to keep global attention focused on the humanitarian situation in the territory.
“We are uniting our efforts in this new initiative to break the silence, end the inhumane blockade, and defend the rights of Palestinians to return to their lands,” she said.
“By visiting different ports across Scandinavia, we aim to shed light on what is happening in Gaza.” She added.
Eskaniella noted that organizers are also seeking increased pressure from their governments to take concrete steps to halt the ongoing Israeli atrocities in Gaza.
She emphasized that the initiative represents a peaceful form of activism that has persisted for years.
“Handala 2 is a message of solidarity and hope to the Palestinian people,” she said.
“We sail in international waters, and the law is on our side. Palestinians have the right to communicate with the rest of the world like any other people.” She added.
The “Sail to Gaza” initiative, launched in 2009, is part of the broader Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which has organized civilian maritime missions in support of Gaza residents.
Since late August 2025, vessels under the “Global Sumud Flotilla” have also set sail toward Gaza in attempts to challenge the Israeli blockade imposed by Israeli occupation since 2006, which has intensified since the outbreak of Israeli genocidal war in October 2023.
Israeli naval forces have intercepted several such ships in the past, detaining activists on board, torturing them with rape and abuse before deporting them to their home countries.
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