Global Flotilla Defies Israeli Threats, Sails toward Gaza to Break Siege
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Global Sumud Flotilla has set sail from Menorca toward Tunisia, pressing ahead with its mission to shatter the suffocating Israeli blockade on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid, despite Tel Aviv’s mounting threats.
Organizers announced Friday that most vessels are now en route to Tunis.
Two other boats, damaged in recent storms, are undergoing repairs in Barcelona before rejoining the fleet.
The coalition confirmed safety checks and operational protocols are being finalized before the next stage.
On Sept. 7, dozens more vessels are expected to depart from Catania in Sicily and Tunis to join the Barcelona fleet in what organizers described as a united action to confront Israel’s criminal blockade.
The flotilla has drawn wide international support from lawmakers, unions, and rights advocates.
Over 100 current and former elected officials signed a joint letter demanding a humanitarian corridor to Gaza, international protection for the mission, and urgent action to uphold humanitarian law.
Francesca Albanese, UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, declared the mission “fully complies with international law.”
Dockworkers in Genoa vowed to block shipments to Israel if the flotilla is obstructed.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro expressed solidarity with the participants, saying: “You have chosen the most difficult and dangerous path: that of action in the face of brutal violence. From this shore, we send you strength, words, life.”
Organizers appealed to the international community and the UN to guarantee safe passage, prevent unlawful detention, and safeguard Palestinians’ right to humanitarian maritime access.
They condemned Israel’s siege of Gaza as part of “an ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people.”
The coalition emphasized the mission is funded not by governments or corporations but by donations from families, communities, and grassroots movements worldwide.
“Our coalition brings together doctors, humanitarians, activists, lawyers, artists, and everyday people united by a shared belief: that Palestinians deserve to live with dignity, freedom, and humanity,” the statement said.
Friday marked the 700th day of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, where more than 64,200 Palestinians have been killed and the enclave devastated under famine and relentless bombardment.
