Global Sumud Flotilla sails on – largest civilian effort since Dunkirk

Despite being attacked by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), its activists abducted and tortured, the Global Sumud Flotilla is setting sail for Gaza in the biggest civilian flotilla effort since Dunkirk.

The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from Turkey on 14 May and is due to arrive in Gaza on Saturday 16 May. Its arrival coincides with Nakba Day anniversary uprisings all over the world, with the intention, in the words of the recently freed Saif Abukeshek:

Not only to commemorate the anniversary, but to act on it.

Global Sumud Flotilla – ‘largest civilian flotilla effort since Dunkirk’

Despite the best efforts of the Israeli regime, 55 boats, alongside 5 boats from comrades in the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, will be sailing in the largest civilian flotilla effort since Dunkirk. The Dunkirk evacuations of 1940 saw hundreds of thousands of soldiers ferried across the channel.

Around 500 participants, including 16 from the UK, will be onboard. They’ll include healthcare workers, teachers, journalists, and observers. The IOF was unable to stop all the boats two weeks ago, and they’ll be unable to do so this time.

Upon arriving in Gaza, participants will deliver life-saving aid including food, medicine, children’s toys, and baby formula. And they’ll provide essential assistance such as medical care, psychological support, and eco-construction.

The Global Sumud Flotilla’s determination to reach Gaza hasn’t wavered. Even after comrades were abducted two weeks ago in international waters and beaten and tortured. Even after Saif Abukeshek and Thiago Avila were taken to Israel and subjected to brutal treatment at the hands of the Israeli regime. And even while Tunisian comrades are imprisoned because of their unwavering dedication to breaking the illegal Israeli siege on Gaza.

A spokesperson said:

UK Global Sumud is incredibly proud of all GSF participants and acknowledges the Sumud, or steadfastness, they display is inspired by our Palestinian siblings, who have endured unimaginable torment and oppression across the last 2 years of genocide and 80 years of colonialism.

We are just as determined as ever to break the illegal Israeli siege on Gaza and to fight for our siblings in Palestine. To those waiting for us in Gaza: we are on our way and we will never stop our fight to reach you.

Speaking at an event in Marmaris, Global Sumud Flotilla Steering Committee member Saif Abukeshek said:

We sail because there are people in Palestine who inspire us with their resilience, with their resistance for the past 78 years.

Our decision is to sail. Our decision is to mobilise on land with the land convoy. Our decision is to support the collective mobilisations everywhere, more than 500 mobilisations are going to happen collectively by the solidarity organisations around the world.

We will continue mobilising. We will continue our solidarity side by side with the Palestinian people until their liberation.

Solidarity is a permanent act.

Steering Committee member Thiago Avila, speaking through a video call at the same event, said:

Israel has great capacity to cause suffering. But they cannot stop the will of the people to be free. For a long time the people of the world refused to understand and to answer, but not now, not anymore.

The world is rising up. We need to continue this rising up until we defeat the greatest enemy of our generation. Like other generations in history that defeated Apartheid in South Africa. Like other generations in history that defeated Nazism and fascism. We are the generation that will defeat imperialism and Zionism – inspired and led by the Palestinian people.

Featured image via the Global Sumud Flotilla