The Global Sumud Flotilla, a historic civilian-led maritime mission to break Israel’s 18-year-long illegal blockade of Gaza, arrived off the coast of Tunisia on Sunday evening, marking a significant step in its journey to deliver urgent humanitarian aid to the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Despite severe weather challenges and explicit threats from Israeli authorities, the flotilla remains steadfast in its commitment to challenging the occupation’s stranglehold on Gaza and amplifying the global call for justice.

The flotilla, comprising nearly 20 vessels carrying thousands of activists from 44 countries, departed from Barcelona, Spain, on August 31 but was forced to return to port due to strong winds exceeding 30 knots (55.5 km/h). Resuming its mission, the convoy reached Tunisian waters, with plans to set sail for Gaza on Thursday, September 11, joined by additional ships from Tunisia, Sicily, and Greece. Organizers estimate the fleet, which could grow to over 70 boats, may reach Gaza by September 14 or 15, carrying critical supplies including food, water, medicine, and baby formula to address the famine and humanitarian crisis in the Strip.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, named after the Arabic word for “steadfastness,” unites major coalitions such as the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), the Global Movement to Gaza, the Maghreb Sumud Flotilla, and the Sumud Nusantara from Malaysia and eight other Global South nations. This unprecedented effort, the largest civilian maritime mission to Gaza, includes humanitarians, doctors, artists, clergy, lawyers, and seafarers, all driven by a shared belief in human dignity and nonviolent resistance. Notable participants include Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, Irish actor Liam Cunningham, former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, and Italian MEPs Annalisa Corrado and Benedetta Scuderi, reflecting broad international solidarity.

The mission confronts a dire humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where Israel’s nearly two-year bombardment has killed over 63,000 Palestinians, including 332 from malnutrition, and left half a million facing catastrophic hunger. The blockade, enforced by land, sea, and air, has deliberately restricted aid, with Israel’s U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation obstructing land routes. The flotilla aims to bypass these barriers, delivering aid directly and demanding an end to the siege, which activists and UN officials condemn as collective punishment and a violation of international law.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s recent threats to label flotilla participants as “terrorists” and detain them in harsh conditions have drawn sharp condemnation. The flotilla’s organizers called these remarks a desperate attempt to intimidate and criminalize humanitarian action, emphasizing that civilian vessels carrying aid in international waters are protected under maritime law and the Geneva Conventions. Past flotilla attempts, including the FFC’s Madleen and Handala in 2025, were intercepted by Israeli forces, with activists beaten, detained, and deported, and aid confiscated. The 2010 Mavi Marmara attack, where Israeli commandos killed 10 activists, remains a stark reminder of Israel’s violent response to such missions.

Despite these risks, the flotilla’s resolve is unshaken. “This is not just a Palestinian issue but a global moral crisis,” said spokesperson Saif Abukeshek, a Palestinian activist based in Barcelona. “Silence is complicity in genocide. Our boats carry a message: the siege must end.” Support for the mission has grown, with endorsements from figures like Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who wrote, “Every action opposing extermination is an act of life,” and UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese. In Tunisia, volunteers have collected tons of aid, including medicine and infant milk, with locals like Sahraoui emphasizing, “Palestine is close. Tunisians no longer see it as far away.”

As the flotilla prepares for its final leg, it stands as a powerful symbol of global resistance to Israel’s blockade and ongoing violence. Organizers and activists call on governments to ensure safe passage and on civil society to amplify the mission, asserting that the fight for Gaza’s freedom is a fight for humanity itself. (ILKHA)