For eight years now, international activists have attempted to symbolically break Israel’s decade-long blockade on the Gaza Strip. In 2008, the Israeli Navy let two sets of boats through. Two years later, Israeli commandos killed 10 activists on the ‘Mavi Marmara.’

Every year since, activists have attempted new flotillas, all of which have been stopped by Israel. This year, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition is sending a ‘Women’s Boat to Gaza,’ a flotilla of two boats named ‘Amal-Hope’ and ‘Zaytouna-Oliva.’ We spoke to one of the participants before the flotilla left its first port in Barcelona this week.

More on the Gaza blockade:

Two years after Gaza war, not a single war crime indictment

Why won’t Israel allow GoPros and model airplanes into Gaza?