Gaza Flotilla Gains Momentum: Global Sumud Convoy Docks in Tunisia

Ships from the Flotilla arriving at the port in Tunisia (image source)

The Global Sumud Flotilla, a multinational humanitarian convoy bound for Gaza, has docked in Tunisia amid widespread international attention. With more than 50 ships from 44 countries carrying aid and activists, the mission has become a rallying cry for global solidarity with Palestinians under siege. The flotilla — named “Sumud,” meaning steadfastness in Arabic — is carrying food, medicine, and essential supplies as it attempts to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza. Among its 350 activists are climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and South African MP Mandla Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela.

“Just across the water there’s a genocide going on,” Thunberg declared upon arrival in Tunis, calling for urgent global action. Mandela echoed her sentiment: “Palestine does not need sympathy. It needs solidarity.”

Organizers announced the flotilla will depart Tunisia on September 10, with hopes of reaching Gaza within a week. Stops in Sicily and Malta were considered earlier, but Tunisia has now become the final staging ground before the fleet heads eastward. The convoy’s size and diversity have drawn comparisons to the 2010 “Freedom Flotilla,” which ended in tragedy when Israeli commandos stormed the Mavi Marmara, killing nine activists.

Israeli authorities have already warned they will not allow the flotilla to breach the blockade. Local media reports suggest plans to intercept the convoy in international waters and detain participants in high-security prisons.

Despite the risks, morale among the volunteers remains high. “We have a moral obligation to help other humans,” said Idris Hausler, a U.S. filmmaker documenting the voyage.

The convoy’s timing is critical. Reports from UN agencies highlight famine conditions and mass casualties in Gaza following months of blockade and bombardment. The flotilla is viewed not only as a supply mission but as a political statement against collective punishment.

Former Libyan Prime Minister Omar al-Hassi, who joined the launch event in Tunis, described the mission as a historic moment of international resistance. “This is about humanity uniting for justice,” he said.

The arrival of the flotilla coincides with renewed diplomatic pressure on Israel. European Union parliamentarians have called for an urgent review of trade ties, while South American countries including Brazil and Chile are leading calls at the UN for stronger action. Meanwhile, online reports say the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) for Gaza announced on Tuesday that one of its main boats was struck by a drone at a port in Tunisia, though all six passengers and crew were safe. However, Tunisia’s interior ministry stated that reports of a drone hitting a boat at its Sidi Bou Said port “have no basis in truth,” clarifying that a fire broke out on the vessel itself.

The Portuguese-flagged boat, carrying the flotilla’s steering committee, sustained fire damage to its main deck and below-deck storage, the GSF said in a statement.