• ‘To the people of Gaza, I want just to say that we are here, we are coming, and one day Palestine will be free,’ Camara tells Anadolu

ISTANBUL

A French Member of the European Parliament taking part in the Thousand Madleens to Gaza flotilla, told Anadolu on Tuesday that despite the risks involved and previous mistreatment by Israeli forces, participants remain determined to carry out the mission and challenge the illegal blockade.

"The main goal is really to break the siege of Gaza ... So, we are really, really determined," said Melissa Camara.

On board the Leila Khaled boat, Camara said nine vessels were moving toward Gaza that are expected to reach the high-risk zone tonight and Gaza within the next two days.

Referring to the experiences of participants in previous missions like the Global Sumud Flotilla, Camara said actions by Israeli authorities, including the brutal treatment and illegal detention of activists, are enabled by the absence of international accountability.

"We know what Israel is doing. They are always breaking international law, and we know that we could be kidnapped. We know that there could be violence, but we are more motivated than ever because we know that we are on the good side of history," she said.

Camara added that continued inaction by governments and parliaments was a key reason why many feel compelled to act independently. "Our governments and our parliaments are doing nothing, so we have to do something. We have to stop the genocide. We have to stop the apartheid and stop colonization."

She highlighted that a few days ago, the first resolution was passed in the European Parliament related to Gaza, with the far-right and the right erasing the word “genocide.”

"Being in the parliament and seeing the complicity and the lack of accountability was not possible for me anymore," said Camara, adding that it was the reason for joining the flotilla.

Camara said that as a mother, she does not want her daughter to grow up in a world that could not stop a genocide.

Highlighting that passengers onboard are non-violent and peaceful, she said, "We are civilians who want to bring humanitarian aid and break Israel's illegal blockage of Gaza."

She said the flotillas are the last hope, and people will try again and again and again until Israel gets sanctioned.

For the people around the world, she encouraged them to keep the pressure for political and economic sanctions, and an arms embargo.

"We have to keep the pressure to keep the eyes on Gaza, to speak about the genocide, and we have to keep the eyes on the flotillas."

For the people of Palestine, Camara had a message: “I want just to say that we are here, we are coming, and one day Palestine will be free."