Returning to the country after unsuccessfully attempting a humanitarian mission to Gaza, the Quebec delegation of the “Freedom Flotilla” asks that Canada “offer its flag” and reiterates its request to be protected in order to bring food and medical supplies to war victims.
The expedition of the “Freedom Flotilla” is a humanitarian mission, “in perfect agreement with international law” and “we are asking for the protection of Canada,” claimed epidemiologist Nimâ Machouf during a press conference. Thursday morning in Montreal.
She was one of about ten Canadians who attempted to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, but the expedition members were never able to put to sea; they remained 12 days waiting in Istanbul, “because of maneuvers by Israel and its allies”.
“We were supposed to sail under the flag of Guinea-Bissau,” but “Israel put pressure on the government of Guinea-Bissau not to let us sail under its flag, so Israel managed to sabotage our departure in April,” said Nimâ Machouf.
Nurse Jean Pierre Roy Valdebenito, also a member of the expedition, added “that Israel will not succeed in undermining our determination to break its illegal siege and reach the people of Gaza.”
An expedition of 500 humanitarians
Mr. Roy Valdebenito explained that the mission’s boats in which 500 people take part, mainly humanitarians from nearly 40 countries, transport foodstuffs such as “powdered milk which is urgently lacking”, but also medicines and anesthetics.
“We know that Israel blocks anesthetics at the borders because they are considered to be products that can be used for weapons. But we must understand that at the moment, we are doing surgeries without anesthesia, we are doing deliveries without anesthesia. This is unacceptable, intolerable,” the nurse was indignant.
The objective is to transport 5,500 tonnes of medical equipment and food by sea.
Jean Pierre Roy Valdebenito and Nimâ Machouf maintain that they made an official request for a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Mélanie Joly, but that this remains unanswered to date.
“As Canadian humanitarians, who go there to deliver humanitarian aid, we ask Canada to ensure our protection,” argued Mr.me Machouf.
“If Canada can send resources to protect commercial goods, Canada is very capable of supporting humanitarian workers,” added the epidemiologist, referring to Operation Prosperity Guardians ( “Prosperity Guardian”).
As part of this military operation, a few months ago, Canada, the United States and other countries protected commercial ships transiting the Red Sea and which were frequently attacked by drones and ballistic missiles fired from areas of Yemen controlled by the Houthis.
After the press conference Thursday morning, Jean Pierre Roy Valdebenito and Nimâ Machouf headed to the campus of McGill University to give their support to the encampment of pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
Vague response from Ottawa
Last Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau evaded a question from The Canadian Press which asked him if Canada has contacts with Israel to ensure the security of the “Freedom Flotilla”.
Mr. Trudeau had affirmed that Ottawa is “pushing very hard on Israel” so that more humanitarian aid is delivered to the occupied territory which is, he admitted, “on the verge of famine, […] in an absolutely deplorable situation.
More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, about two-thirds of them children and women.
Israel launched a military operation following a Hamas raid in early October in which Hamas militants killed nearly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took some 250 hostages.