Sicily, Sept. 14 -- Ships departing from Italy have joined vessels from Greece, Spain, and Tunisia to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip under the banner of the "Global Sumud Flotilla," Euronews reported.

On Saturday, 18 boats carrying aid set sail from Sicily, with four Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) also on board, joining other vessels that had departed from Greece, Spain, and Tunisia in late August.

The flotilla mission includes 34 boats carrying around 600 people and approximately 500 tons of humanitarian aid. Organisers said the mission is the largest attempt so far to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza, though Israel maintains strict control of the territory's shores and waters.

A similar single-boat action las...