The crew of the Gaza-bound Madleen ship before leaving the port of Catania, southern Italy, on June 1, 2025 [Freedom Flotilla Coalition handout via EPA-EFE]
By: Gilliam Nauman Iqbal — Brazil, 14 August 2025.
On 31 August 2025, dozens of vessels will depart from Spain in the largest civilian maritime action ever organised to challenge the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip: the Global Sumud Flotilla. Another group of boats will leave Tunisia and other Mediterranean ports on 4 September. The initiative, bringing together activists, artists, and volunteers from 44 countries, aims to open a humanitarian corridor led by civil society and to expose what humanitarian organisations and many governments describe as an “ongoing genocide”.
The Israeli blockade restricts the entry of food, water, fuel, and medicines, affecting more than two million people. Organisations such as the UN have warned of the total collapse of basic services, while activists describe the situation as “genocide” and a “slow ethnic cleansing”.
The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) was launched in July 2025, uniting movements such as the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, Global Movement to Gaza, Maghreb Sumud Flotilla, and Sumud Nusantara.
The Arabic word ṣumūd, meaning “steadfastness” — a pillar of Palestinian resistance — reflects the determination of the movement, which will not abandon its mission.
“It is not just about delivering supplies. It is about telling the world that Gaza is not alone,” said Huwaida Arraf, co-founder of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
Over 15,000 people have registered to join the Flotilla, representing 44 countries. Among the well-known figures:
- Greta Thunberg — Swedish climate activist.
- Susan Sarandon — actress and social justice advocate.
- Gustaf Skarsgård (Vikings).
- Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones).
- Chris Smalls — American trade union leader.
“What governments will not do, we, the people, will,” declared Greta Thunberg.
“Every mile we sail is an act of solidarity,” added Susan Sarandon.
The presence of high-profile public figures also serves to engage mass audiences with the massacre taking place in the Gaza Strip, recognising that public opinion is key to pressuring international organisations, as well as providing a degree of “protection” for other activists in the event of interception by the occupying forces.
It is essential to stress that online work must also be a true operation of war, as the moment we live in places us on two fronts: breaking the Israeli siege of the Gaza Strip and winning the war of narratives in the virtual sphere.
The action aims to symbolically break the Israeli blockade, deliver humanitarian aid in the form of food, medicines, and drinking water, and pressure governments and international institutions to take action in the face of the crisis in Gaza — sending a clear message that global outrage must lead to effective intervention by the international community in the face of the massacre in Palestine. This symbolism, we believe, not only ideologically weakens a system of colonisation and apartheid, but also creates fissures in modern imperialism, signalling the will to prevent the emergence of future “Gazas”.
The Global Sumud Flotilla’s planned schedule:
- 31/08/2025 — Departure of the first group of boats from Spain.
- 04/09/2025 — Departure of the second group from Tunisia and other ports.
- Destination: Gaza Strip, via the Eastern Mediterranean.
During the operation, we will closely monitor events, reporting every movement of the Flotilla to ensure the safety of the activists at sea and to enable civil society to follow and share the initiative on social media, highlighting the importance of this courageous action — one that should have been initiated by governmental bodies. The operation carries risks and a high probability of interception by Israeli naval forces in international waters, reinforcing the need for activism on land to give visibility to the action.
Other attempts to break the blockade have been made and all have been violently intercepted by Israeli occupation forces — such as in June 2025, when the yacht Madleen, carrying Greta Thunberg and Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila, was intercepted 185 km from Gaza; and in July 2025, when the ship Handala, carrying African-American activist Chris Smalls, was intercepted and Smalls was brutally beaten by Israeli soldiers.
“Each attempt keeps Gaza on the map of global consciousness,” said Ehab Lotayef, Flotilla coordinator.
On 28 July 2025, the city of Bristol, United Kingdom, hosted a meeting of activists, organisations, and civil society groups to discuss the new mission to Gaza, with the launch of the Global Sumud Flotilla bringing together people from all over the world, including Brazil.
The Brazilian presence — as part of a global activist movement that dreams of a Palestine free of Zionists — has always been significant, and for this new mission, the Flotilla counts on 11 Brazilians holding seven positions in the organisation.
The Razan Al-Najjar Collective reaffirms its commitment to the struggle for a Free and Sovereign Palestine, alongside the Global Sumud Flotilla and all movements that dream of a world in which all peoples are free from imperialist systems.
For more information on the mission, visit the Instagram profile @globalmovementtoazabrazil and the Razan Al-Najjar Portal.
