The Global Sumud Flotilla, a bold act of international solidarity, has set sail from Sicily to challenge Israel’s suffocating 18-year blockade of Gaza and deliver urgent humanitarian aid to its starving population.

“We are off, we are not stopping this time,” declared spokeswoman Maria Elena Delia, embodying the spirit of "sumud" – steadfast perseverance – that drives this historic mission.

Over 40 vessels, carrying more than 500 tons of food, medicines, baby formula, and medical supplies, form the largest civilian effort yet to shatter Israel’s illegal siege, condemned by the United Nations as collective punishment. Gaza faces a man-made catastrophe, with famine claiming at least 422 lives since August and over 41,000 Palestinians killed since October 2023 amid Israel’s ongoing assault.

The flotilla’s rendezvous off Sicily united an 18-strong Italian contingent, including four European Parliament members waving Palestinian flags, with 24 boats from Tunisia’s Bizerte port. The journey has been fraught with challenges: storms damaged vessels, forcing repairs in Tunisian ports, while suspected Israeli drone strikes targeted two ships, The Family and Alma, in early September, igniting fires and breaching hulls in what activists called deliberate sabotage. Undeterred, the fleet presses on, soon to be joined by six Greek vessels, swelling to over 46 boats and 600 activists, doctors, lawyers, and journalists.

The armada includes voices like Swedish climate icon Greta Thunberg, U.S. actress Susan Sarandon, and Indonesian MP Wanda Hamidah, enduring cramped conditions to stand with Gaza. This mission, organized by groups like the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and Maghreb Sumud Flotilla, builds on 15 years of maritime resistance, from the 2010 Mavi Marmara raid, where Israeli forces killed 10 activists, to the June 2025 interception of the Madleen.

Sixteen nations, including Spain and Portugal, have demanded Israel ensure safe passage, while UN experts called any interference a “grave violation of international law.” Yet, Israel’s threats loom large. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir labeled the flotilla a “Hamas” operation, threatening to brand participants “terrorists.” A recent Israeli report accused organizers of ties to Hamas, claims dismissed as disinformation to justify violence. A reported Israeli military plane’s flight to Sicily’s Sigonella base sparked fears of reconnaissance.

Onboard, volunteers ration meals and share stories of Gaza’s plight – children dying of hunger, families bombed while seeking food – their resolve unshaken. A Finnish activist emphasized: “This mission needs to reach Gaza as soon as possible.” Colombian journalist Mauricio Morales described dawn watches for drones amid cramped bunks, noting, “Hope and anxiety coexist,” but the drive to sustain hope for Palestinians burns bright.

The Global Sumud Flotilla is a beacon of resistance against Israel’s genocidal policies, a call to end the blockade and genocide, and a demand for a free Palestine. As it nears Gaza, seven to eight days from Sicily, the world must rally behind these brave souls and amplify their message: Silence is complicity. (ILKHA)