Global Sumud flotilla, largest yet, to set sail bound for Gaza
3 Min Read
Hundreds of activists from 44 countries, including Greta Thunberg and Susan Sarandon, join the Global Sumud Flotilla in the largest maritime mission yet to challenge "Israel’s" blockade on Gaza.
-
Graffiti on a flotilla heading to Gaza (Social media)
The Global Sumud Flotilla, the most extensive maritime mission ever organized to break the blockade on Gaza, is preparing to depart from several Mediterranean ports on Sunday. Dozens of vessels carrying humanitarian aid and hundreds of international activists will set sail, marking a historic attempt to confront "Israel’s" ongoing siege on the Palestinian coastal enclave.
Organizers say the flotilla brings together activists, doctors, artists, lawyers, seafarers, and humanitarians from 44 countries. The term Sumud, meaning “perseverance” in Arabic, reflects the Palestinian spirit of resilience that has inspired the initiative.
Among those joining the flotilla are Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, American actress Susan Sarandon, Irish politician Paul Murphy, and Portuguese lawmaker Mariana Mortágua. The grandson of Nelson Mandela, Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, has also expressed support, drawing parallels between apartheid South Africa and Gaza’s plight.
The mission includes specialized vessels, such as one led entirely by women and another crewed by US Army veterans. More than 28,000 people worldwide applied to participate, but only a few hundred were selected to sail.
View this post on Instagram
Humanitarian goals and political demands
The flotilla aims to deliver food, medicine, and other essential supplies while demanding that governments exert pressure on "Israel" to allow safe passage. Organizers stress that this is not only a humanitarian mission but also a political act of civil disobedience against what they describe as an illegal siege.
Said AbuKeshek, a Palestinian organizer based in Spain, told Reuters, “They need to act to defend human rights and to guarantee a safe passage for this flotilla.”
The Global Sumud Flotilla represents not only the largest organized effort to break the siege but also one of the most visible demonstrations of international solidarity with Palestine. Organizers estimate the journey to Gaza will take seven to eight days, if not intercepted.
Attempts to break the blockade date back to 2008, when international activists first succeeded in reaching Gaza by sea. The most infamous incident occurred in 2010 when Israeli commandos stormed the Turkish vessel Mavi Marmara, killing nine activists and sparking international outrage.
In recent months, smaller flotillas such as the Madleen and Handala missions were intercepted by Israeli naval forces in international waters, with participants detained and deported.
