'Gaza is not alone': Petro sends solidarity message with aid flotilla
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Colombian President Gustavo Petro sends a powerful message of solidarity to the Global Sumud Flotilla, affirming, "Gaza is not alone, Palestine is not alone."
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Colombia's President Gustavo Petro speaks during a meeting of leaders of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization in Bogota, Colombia, on August 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
From Bogotá, President Gustavo Petro has sent a powerful message of solidarity to the Global Sumud Flotilla: "Gaza is not alone. Palestine is not alone. Humanity can no longer remain silent."
In his letter, Petro acknowledged the efforts being put in for Palestine, stressing, "I know it is not easy. I see the decision to board that flotilla is neither romantic nor adventurous; it is born of deep conviction."
He added, "You have chosen the most difficult and perilous path, that of action in the face of brutal violence. And I say to you: you are not alone."
"If Palestine dies, all of humanity dies with it."
🇨🇴From Bogotá, President @petrogustavo sends a powerful message of solidarity to the #GlobalSumudFlotilla:
— Progressive International (@ProgIntl) August 30, 2025
“Gaza is not alone. Palestine is not alone. Humanity can no longer remain silent.”
🇵🇸🌊 Full letter below ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/50pkMFPR3U
Petro has a history of comments in solidarity with Gaza and Palestine against the ongoing brutal Israeli aggression. Last month, The Guardian published an opinion piece by Petro on July 8, in which he accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of orchestrating a "campaign of devastation" in Gaza and called on the international community to move beyond symbolic outrage toward concrete action in defense of international law.
Petro was described as one of the most outspoken world leaders condemning "Israel’s" war on Gaza, and his opinion piece adds to a growing series of forceful critiques directed at the ongoing Israeli genocide.
In another event last month, he intensified his stance against "Israel’s" military campaign in Gaza by ordering the Navy to intercept and block all coal shipments destined for "Israel", escalating a policy first enacted with a formal export ban in August 2024. Despite that ban, designed to protest what Petro has labeled a “genocidal” offensive, limited exceptions were granted for previously approved or customs-cleared shipments.
On that note, last May, the Colombian President announced cutting ties with "Israel" for having a "genocidal" president.
Global Sumud Flotilla prepares to depart
This comes after 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.
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.
