Lifelong Liverpool fan Hannah Schafer is joining a global flotilla of ships aiming to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip
Hannah Schafer, 62, from Wavertree in Liverpool, is embarking on a humanitarian mission to Gaza as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla
A 62-year-old woman from the Wavertree area of Liverpool is embarking on a humanitarian mission as part of a flotilla of boats aiming to open up an aid corridor to Gaza.
The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) – which counts climate activist Greta Thunberg as one of its members – is now made up of around 50 boats, which started out from countries including Spain, Greece and Tunisia and are aiming to reach the Gaza strip and bring aid to its besieged and starving residents. The flotilla says its aim is to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza strip.
One of those joining the GSF is 62-year-old sailing instructor Hannah Schafer.
Originally from Ceredigion in North Wales, Ms Schafer now lives in Wavertree in Liverpool and is a huge fan of Liverpool Football Club.
She said her decision to join the flotilla is rooted in a personal connection to the “resilience forged in the face of conflict, echoing Liverpool’s own rich history of international solidarity.”
Ms Schafer is likely to be a useful addition to the flotilla, having spent 20 years as a sailing and water sports instructor. She has a history of activism and has been involved with the Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil.
She said: “I think we’ve been fed a lot of stuff in the media that there’s nothing we can do, so we might as well not bother. I don’t agree with that, and I think the Global Sumud Flotilla is a good example of people gathering together and doing something really powerful.
“Everybody has skills and talents that they can put to work—that’s why I’m here.”
Hannah Schafer, 62, from Wavertree in Liverpool, is embarking on a humanitarian mission to Gaza as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla
The flotilla says its mission is a direct response to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza. In August the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres said the famine in Gaza City and its surrounding areas was a “failure of humanity.”
The UN says Israel is continuing to restrict the amount of aid entering Gaza, which Israel denies.
Earlier this month, a United Commission of Inquiry said Israel has committed a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Speaking about her decision to join the aid mission, Ms Schafer said part of her motivation came after her brother and his family spent a week in a war zone in Ukraine before managing to escape.
She said: “Just one week of my brother living in a war zone took a toll on me; I can’t imagine what it must be like for those in Gaza or people with family there—it’s just horrific.”
“The resilience of the Palestinian people is a lesson to us all.”
As a lifelong Liverpool FC supporter, the sailing instructor said the city’s spirit of resilience and solidarity has served as a poignant backdrop to her journey.