What was the Free Gaza Movement, and what did its ships try to do?

The Free Gaza Movement was an organization that conducted several maritime missions aimed at breaching the blockade of the Gaza Strip imposed by Israel following Hamas’s 2007 takeover of the territory.1

These ships attempted to deliver humanitarian aid, such as medical supplies, directly to the Gaza Strip by sea. While the movement successfully completed its first mission and four subsequent voyages between August 2008 and the following months, its efforts were met with significant conflict. In May 2010, a flotilla organized by the group became the site of a violent clash between activists and Israeli commandos, resulting in the deaths of nine activists.1