Global Sumud Flotilla ready to set sail for Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid

 ROME - Dozens of ships are ready to set sail in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, according to reporters at Il Fatto Quotidiano. Departures are scheduled for August 31 from Genoa and September 4 from Sicily, joining vessels leaving from Tunisia and Barcelona. They've named it the Global Sumud Flotilla, the flotilla of global resilience. On board will be activists from 44 countries around the world: humanitarian workers, doctors, artists, religious leaders, lawyers, and maritime professionals.

 “Although we come from different nations, faiths, and political beliefs, we are united by a single truth: the blockade and genocide must end,” states the Global Sumud Flotilla in a press release. “We are independent, international, and unaffiliated with any government or political party. Our loyalty is to justice, freedom, and the sanctity of human life.”

 The flotilla has four demands:

• End the blockade
• End the genocide
• End the use of starvation as a weapon
• End the dehumanization

 This is the largest nonviolent civilian maritime mission ever organized in support of Gaza – an initiative that draws from past efforts. In 2008, two boats from the Free Gaza Movement successfully reached the Strip, with Vittorio Arrigoni among the crew. Two years later, the Freedom Flotilla was attacked by the Israeli navy, resulting in nine deaths among the activists.

 This summer, attempts to reach Gaza by sea were again thwarted — first by a drone attack off the coast of Malta, then by the arrest of activists by the Israeli military in international waters.

 This time, however, the numbers are far greater than in the past.

 “Yes, there are risks. But the greater danger lies in allowing Israel and its allies to carry out genocide with impunity,” reads a statement from the Global Sumud Flotilla. “Israel has a long documented history of using force against humanitarian flotillas. Yet the risks we face are minimal compared to what Palestinians endure every day: hunger, deportation, and bombings. These boats are not only carrying aid — they carry a message: the siege must end.”

 The flotilla is preparing to depart based on the principle that its actions are legal under international law.

 “The blockade of Gaza by the Israeli occupation constitutes collective punishment — a violation of the Geneva Convention. Civilian vessels transporting humanitarian aid or participating in peaceful protests in international waters are protected by maritime law.”

 Among those on board will be dozens of Italian activists.

 “This is a grassroots movement — the idea came from women and men of civil society who decided to fill an institutional void, a void of humanity,” said Maria Elena Delia, member of the Global Sumud Flotilla's Board of Directors and Italian Coordinator of the Global Movement to Gaza.

 “Fully aware that this is just a drop in an ocean of needs, this act demonstrates the frustration and determination of those who refuse to accept the paralysis of the international system and the complicity of our government, and who are ready to take action to break the siege and shine a light on Israel’s crimes.”

 In recent weeks, the flotilla has garnered support from numerous figures in the Italian artistic community including Alessandro Gassmann and Fiorella Mannoia.

 And from now until Aug. 29, in Genoa, the Global Movement to Gaza, together with Music for Peace and the Autonomous Dockworkers Collective (CALP), has launched a general mobilization to collect 45 tons of food supplies in five days. These will be loaded onto the boats departing for Gaza on Aug. 30, in a ceremony open to the entire public. A second leg of the journey will depart Sept. 4 from Sicily.

rs