A Boat Called Madleen

Perhaps everyone has heard the story of the ship “Madleen”, which sailed from the island of Sicily heading toward the Gaza Strip on a bold mission to break the siege imposed on it. Because this boat was boarded by famous activists such as Greta Thunberg, it was called the “Selfie Boat” but in reality it is called “Madleen” and there is a very interesting story behind the name of this boat that I will post here translated from arabic (I didn’t translate it, my arab on Duolingo is still not that good)

The ship was named in honor of a PaIestinian woman from Gaza named Madleen Kolab, who became known as the first and youngest professional fisherwoman in the Strip. Madleen began fishing at an early age to support her family amidst economic and social challenges and the ongoing blockade. Accompanying her father, an experienced fisherman, on his trips from the age of six, from him she learned the basics of the trade, such as swimming, casting nets, and handling boats. At the age of thirteen, her father fell seriously ill, rendering him unable to work. As the eldest daughter, Madleen took on the responsibility of managing the fishing boat and supporting her family.

The Gaza Strip has been under a severe blockade since 2007, which limited the area fishermen could access to just 3 to 6 nautical miles (down from 20 before 2007), drastically reducing the available fish stock and affecting livelihoods. Braving these restrictions at times put her life in danger.

In 2016, Israel confiscated her father’s boat and equipment.. But Madleen did not give up, she rented an alternative engine to operate a tourist boat and continued fishing. She took full responsibility for supporting her family and her father’s medical treatment. Because of the restricted fishing area, she would only catch about 3 kilograms of fish daily, which sold for around 30 shekels (about us$8 at the time). Despite these heavy responsibilities, Madleen continued her studies alongside her fishing work..

Achieving what was an unconventional livelihood for women, Madleen sought to pass on her experience to other girls. She organized workshops to teach girls fishing and net-making, and established a women’s fishing club to support women working at sea and the wives of fishermen, encouraging women to take on this experience.

After the outbreak of war on the Strip in October 2023, Madleen lost both her father and her livelihood, compounding her struggles and hardship.

The story of Madleen Kolab embodies the spirit of civil resistance and determination to live…Today, her name sails aboard the ship “Madleen” to shed light on the suffering of our people and to support the effort to break the siege.

— Mohammed Al-Fateh
(Translated from Arabic by / H/t Maher Alareer)