In a world where feeding the hungry has become a punishable act, activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla took to the sea – armed not with weapons, but with aid and conviction.
In an attempt to open a humanitarian corridor to provide aid by sea, activists of the ‘Global Sumud Flotilla’ took to the waters to carry out what international governments have failed to do. Some participants include Mandla Mandela, a grandson of Nelson Mandela and climate activist Greta Thunberg.
The word “Sumud,” meaning steadfastness in Arabic, captured the spirit of the flotilla: resilience against impossible odds. The mission aimed to open a maritime corridor to Gaza, where food and medical supplies have been systematically blocked. For the activists, the voyage was more than symbolic; it was a direct response to mass starvation being used as a weapon of war. Their journey represented what international law demands but political leaders continually avoid: the duty to deliver humanitarian aid without discrimination.
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However, the boats were stopped long before Gaza came into sight. Not a single vessel reached its destination as aid workers were seized in international waters by Israeli forces. Naval units surrounded and boarded the flotilla, detaining unarmed passengers from around the world, many of them human rights defenders. The Israeli government framed the operation as a security measure, but for those aboard, it was a stark reminder of how far the blockade’s reach extends: beyond land and air, into the sea itself.
After visiting the Global Sumud Flotilla detainees held in one of Israel’s most notorious prisons, Adalah Legal Counsel Lubna Tuma described the harsh conditions they faced, a reflection of the broader pattern of abuse endured by Palestinian prisoners. This is not an isolated case, but rather part of a wider system that routinely subjects Palestinians under occupation to humiliation, deprivation, and collective punishment. She reported that hearings were conducted without legal representation, detainees were forced to remain in painful positions for hours, and basic needs such as food, water, and medical care were withheld. Women, particularly those wearing hijab, were singled out for even harsher treatment. However, Israel states all those detained were “safe and in good health”.
So far, the ministry has announced the deportations of 341 of the 479 people who were on board the 42 boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF). The 138 other activists remain in detention in Israel. Since October 2023, more than 170,000 Palestinians have been killed or wounded as the U.S. funnels over $22 billion into Israeli military operations, while the UN Commission of Inquiry led by Navi Pillay concludes that Israel has committed genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza – acts that legal experts say amount to crimes against humanity. With 470,000 people face mass starvation, the UN has called on Israel to urgently lift the blockade and allow the entry of life-saving aid by all possible means, reminding that as the occupying power, it is legally obliged to ensure that sufficient food and medical supplies reach Gaza’s population.
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As tensions persist, a tentative window for resolution opens with indirect talks are under way in Egypt between Israeli and Hamas negotiating teams, as the United States intensifies efforts to push both sides toward a peace agreement. Mediators from the US, Egypt, and Qatar have gathered in Sharm El-Sheikh in a renewed attempt to broker a breakthrough. Over the weekend, US President Donald Trump urged negotiators to “move fast,” claiming the parties are now working through the “final details.”
Israel has reportedly accepted the US’s 20-point peace proposal, while Hamas has agreed to some, but not all, of its terms. It marks the closest the two sides have come to a deal in months, though significant divisions remain, our correspondent in Jerusalem, Tom Bennett, reports. The indirect negotiations are expected to resume tomorrow, coinciding with the two-year anniversary of the 7 October attacks.
Photo by Ömer Faruk Yıldız
