Catania, Italy - A boat flying under the flag of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition set sail on Sunday as it makes another attempt to break Israel's deadly aid blockade on Gaza.

The Madleen left the Italian port of Catania, carrying around a dozen people, including environmental activist Greta Thunberg and Game of Thrones star Liam Cunningham.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, launched in 2010, is a non-violent international movement supporting Palestinians, combining humanitarian aid with political protest against the blockade on Gaza.

It was launched in the aftermath of the infamous 2010 Israeli attack on boats attempting to deliver aid to the territory, during which 10 activists were killed.

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Named after Gaza's first fisherwoman, the Madleen is a small sailboat carrying "fruit juices, milk, rice, tinned food and protein bars donated by hundreds of Catania residents," journalist Andrea Legni reported from aboard. It has been fitted with a tracker, allowing supporters to follow its journey.

"We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying," Thunberg said at an emotional press conference before setting sail.

“Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity. And no matter how dangerous this mission is, it’s not even near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the live-streamed genocide."

A previous attempt to reach Gaza at the start of May was halted when a suspected Israeli drone fired on the ship, causing a fire to break out.

Israel is facing widespread accusations of crimes against humanity and genocide over its campaign of mass killing and starvation in Gaza, which it continues to subject to daily bombardments and a near-total blockade on aid.