The Global Sumud aid flotilla will set sail once again for war-ravaged Gaza on March 29, departing from Barcelona with significantly broader international participation, organisers announced on Feb. 5.
Speaking at a livestreamed press conference in Johannesburg, Global Sumud activist Sumeyra Akdeniz Ordu said the mission will begin from its historic departure point in Barcelona before proceeding through Tunisia, Italy and other Mediterranean ports en route to Gaza.
Ordu said the upcoming voyage would differ from previous missions in scale and scope. “This time we will sail with thousands of participants, including more than a thousand doctors, nurses and health professionals,” she said. The delegation will also include eco-builders and war crimes investigators, aimed at supporting reconstruction efforts and documenting alleged violations.
Describing the initiative as an alternative to proposals put forward by the US administration regarding the Middle East conflict, Ordu emphasised that the flotilla seeks to centre Palestinian voices in decisions about rebuilding Gaza. “It includes the Palestinians and allows them to decide how they want to rebuild their own homeland,” she said.
In parallel with the maritime effort, organisers announced preparations for a major land-based humanitarian convoy under the banner of the Sumud land convoy.A second land convoy is also being planned from South Asia.