The largest organized maritime humanitarian effort in history is the Global Sumud Flotilla, which consisted of more than fifty ships from forty-four countries, trying to overcome the blockade of Gaza by Israel and deliver Palestinians to a catastrophic situation under siege and bombardment with essential help in the form of food, water, and even medical supplies.
The biggest maritime mission is being prepared by an international coalition
According to Al Jazeera, a global fleet of boats, which is also a part of a worldwide sea project of giving humanitarian aid to starving individuals in Gaza, had to return home on Sunday because of poor weather conditions. The organisers in a statement said that they returned to port because of unsafe weather conditions, including strong winds over 30 knots.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is united in its humanitarian intervention to provide the starving population of Palestine with food, water, and medical aid, which is in urgent need because of the decision by Israel to illegally siege Gaza, inflict genocide, famine, and an uncontrollable health crisis. Their group represents 44 nations and includes physicians, nurses, elected officials, journalists, and human rights activists.
On August 31, the first convoy, made up of dozens of small civilian vessels transporting activists, humanitarians, doctors, seafarers, and humanitarian supplies, set off at Spanish ports with a second wave to meet in Tunisia on September 4.
The activists are exposed to Israeli military retaliation
By the time this was written, the 22-vessel humanitarian flotilla was offshore Tunisia, preparing the next leg of Gaza in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade and bring aid, according to Human Rights at Sea. They are, however, at a great risk due to possible Israeli military intervention. It is said that the Israeli National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, will proclaim the flotilla and the people on board as terrorists.
The State of Israel will thus disrupt, intercept, arrest, and detain the vessels, passengers, and their crews as the idea of a successful breach of the blockade will be inconceivable to the Israeli military. The volunteers are instructed on how to raise their hands in case Israeli soldiers board; this position should be comfortable enough to withstand a long time, yet in no way should it look intimidating, which can justify the soldiers to use violence.
Flotilla should be internationally safeguarded
The organisation has enumerated its demands on governments of various nations, and they are five-fold: immediate humanitarian corridors, action in favour of civil society protection, responsibility of the international community, stop the utilisation of starvation as warfare, and acknowledgement that any occupation is unlawful under international legislation.
The organisation of the flotilla said it was a group of ordinary individuals: organisers, humanitarians, doctors, artists, clergy, lawyers, and seafarers who held to human dignity and the strength of peaceful action. They stress that they are not dependent on any government or political party and that they are only loyal to justice, freedom, and the sanctity of human life.
Historical context of flotilla missions
Every flotilla trying to breach the Gaza blockade since the year 2010 has been prevented or attacked by Israel in international waters. In 2010, Israeli commandos invaded the Mavi Marmara in international waters, killing 10 activists and injuring dozens of others. This caused world outrage.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is a historical international mobilisation with the besieged Palestinians in the most formidable way, which confronts the Israeli blockage with the organized use of the sea. The coalition is determined to deliver aid and draw humanitarian attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza through peaceful resistance despite the possible military action and historical examples of violence against humanitarian ships.