Alwaght- "We have officially set sail from Sicily. Here, amidst the sea waves, we are watching the stars and with them, we are hopeful towards our destination: Gaza. Today is a busy day, and we are working on the boat. We learned how to fasten the sails and steer the boat." These are words of Abdul Rahman Amaju, an activist joining the Global Sumud (Steadfastness) Flotilla that is headed to Gaza. He made these comments in the Mediterranean Sea during a phone call to Al Jazeera.
The Sumud Flotilla story
The Sumud Flotilla is an international civilian movement composed of tens of boats from various world ports sailing to Gaza. Its aim is to break the years-long Gaza blockade imposed by Israeli occupation and deliver humanitarian aid to people of the war-ravaged coastal enclave. The movement has participants from 44 countries. Media report that the boats sailing under the banner of the fleet are 60, mainly from Spain, Tunisia, Italy, Greece, and Libya.
This flotilla set sail last Thursday, departing from the port of Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia, after a gathering of boats that had assembled from various countries. Reports indicate that the Sumud Flotilla has become Tel Aviv's newest nightmare, sending Israeli officials into a state of alarm once again—though this time, the fear is sparked not by Iranian missiles, but by a civilian-led maritime convoy.
Prior to the gathering in Tunisia, the main contingent of the Sumud Flotilla had departed from the port of Barcelona, Spain, on Sunday. An additional group of vessels joined the effort on Monday morning, setting out from the Port of Genoa in northwestern Italy.
Israeli barriers to stop the aid flotilla
The flotilla assembled in the port of Tunisia, and last week, as the official departure of the flotilla from Tunisia began, Israeli drones attacked several boats and ships in the convoy docked at the port on multiple occasions. Wael Nuwar, a member of the flotilla, also announced that a drone from the Israeli regime had targeted the largest ship in the fleet, which was anchored at the entrance of the Tunisian port.
In related comments, Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, confirmed the attack on the largest boat, stating that it was "apparently carried out by a drone." Activists from the fleet reported that a fire broke out on one of the ships in the port of Sidi Bou Said following the drone strike.
On another front, delays in the arrival of Spanish ships, maritime obstacles faced by vessels from several African countries, and other logistical challenges have prolonged the timeline. This has provided Israel with a political and legal opportunity to intensify international pressure.
Strong presence of Italians in the flotilla
On Sunday, the fleet of the anti-war Italian activists set sail from the Port of Augusta as part of Sumud Flotilla to break the Gaza siege.
The Italian fleet is primarily composed of sailboats. After completing their training exercises off the eastern coast of Sicily, they set sail. Among the most prominent figures in the Italian fleet is Abdul Rahman Amaju, an Italian of Moroccan descent.
The maritime convoy has garnered support from notable Italian political figures, including Arturo Scotto, a member of the national parliament; Annalisa Corrado, a member of the European Parliament from the Democratic Party; Benedetta Scuderi, a member of the European Parliament from the Greens/European Free Alliance coalition; and Senator Marco Croatti from the Five Star Movement. They, alongside representatives from Italian civil society, have endorsed the flotilla's mission to call for an end to the war in Gaza.
The Italian fleet consists of approximately 50 sailboats and around 600 participants, including technical crew, organizers, activists, and a number of journalists. It is carrying roughly 300 tons of food and medical aid for the people of Gaza.
Of note, the Italian convoy's departure has been accompanied by extensive media, diplomatic, and humanitarian activities. Prior to its launch, press conferences and events were held, including one at the Italian Senate attended by national and European MPs. Public demonstrations have also been organized across various Italian cities, with tens of thousands of citizens in large and small towns—particularly in Genoa—participating in protests against the war in Gaza.
Italy's participation in the Sumud Flotilla has also sparked significant political controversy within the country. The right-wing governing coalition led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has clashed with left-wing opposition forces, most prominently represented by Elly Schlein, leader of the Democratic Party. Notably, the Italian government has declined to provide security guarantees to protect the Italian participants from any potential Israeli attacks against the anti-war fleet.
19 ships from Tunisia
The fleet's official website has announced that at least 19, boats from Tunisia have joined the movement and all are sailing to the stated destination.
The international fleet officially was launched on earlier Monday from Tunisia with boats and ships from various countries.
Libyan ship joins the fleet
Meanwhile, Libyan sources have reported that the ship Omar Al-Mukhtar has joined the Sumud Flotilla, departing from the port of Tripoli, Libya. The Libyan vessel initiated its journey from Libyan territorial waters and integrated with the flotilla off the Libyan coast.
People of Istanbul gather in support of the fleet
On Monday, people from Istanbul gathered to voice their support to the international fleet headed to Gaza coast.
Three Omanis join the fleet
Reports say that Dr. Saeed al-Maskari, Dr. Amamah al-Lawati, and Jamal al-Raisi are three Omani nationals having joined the fleet.
Prominent German actress on board the Sumud Flotilla ship
In a related development, Enissa Amani, the renowned Iranian-German comedian, artist and activist, announced on her Instagram that she has joined the fleet of pro-Gaza boats as part of a German delegation.
Amani, who was born in Tehran in 1981, moved to Germany with her parents when she was just six months old. She is fluent in Farsi, though her performances are primarily in German. She has recently posted videos from Tunisia documenting her joining of the international convoy. The artist has been notably outspoken on numerous political and humanitarian issues concerning Iran and other parts of the world in recent years.
Pakistan's grand mufti backs the move
For his part, the grand mufti of Pakistan Taqi Usmani has called for active support of governments to the fleet to break the Gaza seige. Voicing his concern about terrorist attacks by Israeli regime at the Sumud Flotilla, he called for the world governments to protect the activists against Israeli attacks.
