As a teenager, Furkan Doğan would tell his parents that he wanted to bring toys, books, and food to the children of Gaza. Described by his father as a young man with a huge heart, Furkan was deeply troubled by the humanitarian situation faced by Palestinians living in Gaza due to the Israeli blockade, a situation the United Nations Relief Works Agency has described as “a crisis that transcends the humanitarian sphere.”  After graduating from high school, in 2010, Furkan joined the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, an international effort by activists who organized six ships, carrying more than 700 civilians from almost 40 countries, to sail towards Gaza to break the siege and deliver humanitarian supplies.