# Women's Boat to Gaza

The Women's Boat to Gaza (WBG) was an initiative by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition in 2016 to challenge the Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. The WBG consisted of an entirely female crew and one ship, Zaytouna-Oliva. It started from Barcelona on 14 September 2016 and visited Ajaccio, Corsica and Messina, Sicily along the way. On 5 October 2016, the Israeli Navy intercepted the Women's Boat to Gaza and detained its crew members, who were taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod. The activists were subsequently deported to their home countries.

## Goals and objectives

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition launched the Women's Boat to Gaza to raise awareness of the role of women in advancing the Palestinian struggle in the Palestinian Territories and diaspora. The Women's Boat to Gaza also supported the goals of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign:
* Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall;
* Recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and
* Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN Resolution 194.

## Participants

The Women's Boat to Gaza had a total of 26 participants. The voyage was divided into three legs: Barcelona to Ajaccio, Ajaccio to Messina, and Messina to Gaza. Each leg was crewed by thirteen volunteers with several members alternating at different legs of the voyage.
| State | Personality | Status |
| Sweden | Malin Björk | Member of the European Parliament of the Swedish Left Party. |
| Israel | Yehudit Barbara Ilany | Photographer, freelancer. |
| Chile | Paulina de los Reyes | Academic, Stockholm University. |
| Malaysia | Dr. Fauziah Hasan | Physician. |
| Australia | Madeleine Habib | Activist and seafarer. |
| Spain | Rosana Pastor | Actress, director/activist, and politician. |
| United States | Ann Wright | Boat leader, retired United States Army colonel and diplomat. |
| Spain | Lucia Muñoz Lucena | Telesur journalist. |
| Spain | Jaldia Abubakra | Activist. |
| Canada | Wendy Goldsmith | Social worker and boat leader. |
| Norway | Synne Sofie Reksten | Student and crew. |
| Sweden | Emma Rinqvist | Music teacher and crew. |
| United States | Kitt Kittredge | Peace activist. |
| United States | LisaGay Hamilton | Actress. |
| Algeria | Khadija Benguenna | Al Jazeera journalist. |
| Tunisia | Latifa Habachi | Tunisian lawyer, politician, and Member of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People. |
| Egypt | Hayat Al Yamani | Al Jazeera Mubasher Al-‘Amma journalist. |
| Malaysia | Norsham Binti Abubakr | Support Services Manager at An-Nur Specialist Hospital. |
| United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) | Mairead Maguire | Peace activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. |
| New Zealand | Marama Davidson | Green Member of Parliament, environmentalist, and human rights activist. |
| Sweden | Jeannette Escanilla | Swedish Left Party Member of Parliament. |
| Algeria | Samira Douaifia | Member of the Algerian People's National Assembly. |
| South Africa | Leigh-Ann Naidoo | Beach volleyball player. |
| Russia | Hoda Rakhme | Al Jazeera camerawoman and editor. |
| United Kingdom (England) | Mina Harballou | Al Jazeera journalist. |
| Spain | Sandra Barrilaro | Photographer. |

## Ships

The Zaytouna-Oliva was the sole ship in the Women's Boat to Gaza expedition. The Oliva was named after a civil protection boat that the Italian journalist Vittorio Arrigoni sailed in prior to his murder by a Palestinian militant group in Gaza in 2011. A second ship called the Amal-Hope was originally due to participate but pulled out subsequently.

## Organization partners

Organizations and campaigns participating in the Women's Boat to Gaza have included Sweden Ship to Gaza, Norway Ship to Gaza, Canadian Boat to Gaza, the Italian Freedom Flotilla, the South African Palestine Solidarity Alliance, the Spanish Rumbo a Gaza, International Committee to Break the Siege of Gaza, US Boat to Gaza, the New Zealand-based Kia Ora Gaza, and Free Gaza Australia.