Palestinian flags tied to boats, canoes, kayaks and pontoons could be seen floating down the Kinnickinnic River into Milwaukee on July 27 as Code Pink held a demonstration in a call for the Handala Flotilla’s safe passage into Gaza.
The demonstration was one of many around the country organized by Code Pink, an anti-war and human rights organization. Its Milwaukee chapter saw around 15 different watercraft move along the river in support of the Handala Flotilla to let aid into Gaza. The flotilla aimed to provide relief and breach the blockade over the Gaza Strip into the port of Ashdod.
“We want to be on the water just to try and emphasize the message and visual of people trying to deliver aid into Gaza,” said Chris Jeske, organizer and a member of the CODEPINK Milwaukee chapter. “We’re here both in solidarity with the Handala Flotilla for their release and letting them deliver aid into Gaza.”
While organized before the flotilla’s arrival, the very same day as the demonstration, it was seized in international waters, The Times of Israel reported. Its passengers included 21 people, two of whom were French parliamentarians and two Al Jazeera journalists. The flotilla carried food, diapers, baby formula and medicine.
The need for aid has become dire in Gaza as of late. Nearly two million have been continuously cut off from aid while UN officials are attributing a new wave of deaths to malnutrition, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
To date, more than 50 children have died of malnutrition in Gaza and an estimated 1,000 have died over the past few weeks attempting to access food, the United Nations said.
“Right now, 85 percent of the population is in stage-five famine conditions, which would cement the imminent risk of death,” Jeske said.
