The Global Sumud Flotilla is set to embark for Gaza from Sicily on Sunday, following an Italian activist contingent joining a Spanish armada.
More than 60 Italian and Spanish vessels are sailing from Augusta to attempt to run the Israeli blockade of the Hamas-held Gaza Strip, according to a GSF press release, with the hopes of raising awareness and mobilizing further activism.
“In the face of the repeated failure to comply with measures of international justice, the so-called ceasefire, the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories, the aggression in southern Lebanon, the continued closure of land routes, and the persistent denial of humanitarian access to Gaza, mere denunciation of the State of Israel and its allies is no longer sufficient,” GSF said on Sunday.
“It is necessary to act in an integrated and differentiated manner, building an international front capable of targeting the system of complicity that sustains the blockade.”
The 39 vessels that had departed from Spain on April 15 were joined by 25 Italian vessels on Thursday, which organizers said made the pro-Palestinian activist flotilla the largest of its kind. In addition to the maritime action, a land convoy is set to approach Gaza from North Africa. GSF said on Instagram on Friday that 1,000 people were set to join the North African Sumud Land Convoy on a journey that is expected to last 20 to 27 days.
“Whether you come by bus, by car, by motorcycle, or by foot, this is your chance to join the global uprising for Gaza,” GSF said on Instagram.
Sexual misconduct allegation
The departure from Barcelona had been delayed due to stormy weather on April 12, as the GSF was rocked by allegations that a steering committee member had used their position to have sexual relations with volunteers. GSF denied any ethical issues, and the accuser deleted their original claims.
On Monday, GSF claimed that it had disrupted the transit of the cargo vessel MSC Maya, claiming that it was part of a supply chain that facilitated the Israeli military.
“This mission sends a clear message,” GSF said in a statement at the time. “If governments do not act to halt the machinery of violence, civilians will intervene. Corporate actors will be identified and challenged, and public attention will be directed toward what is too often ignored.”
The Mediterranean Shipping Company did not respond to a query from The Jerusalem Post, but the Panamanian-flagged ship had arrived in Ashdod on Saturday.