France, July 13 -- A Gaza-bound boat carrying pro-Palestinian activists, including members of France's Unbowed party, and humanitarian aid left Sicily on Sunday, over a month after Israel detained and deported people aboard a previous vessel.

The Handala, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, left the port of Syracuse shortly after 12:00 pm local time, according to a journalist of the French press agency AFP, carrying about fifteen activists.

Several dozen people, some holding Palestinian flags and others wearing keffiyeh scarves, gathered at the port to cheer the boat's departure with cries of "Free Palestine".

The former Norwegian trawler, loaded with medical supplies, food, children's equipment and medicine, will sail for abou...