Global Sumud Flotilla departure from Tunisia to Gaza postponed due to weather

The departure of the Global Sumud Flotilla from Tunisia to Gaza has been postponed to Thursday due to bad weather and logistical issues, organisers announced.

"It was decided to postpone the departure from Tunisia to Gaza to Thursday instead of today, Wednesday, due to rain, wind, and logistical reasons," Nabil Chennoufi, a member of the steering committee of the flotilla’s Maghreb branch, told the Anadolu news agency.

Chennoufi denied speculation that security concerns caused the delay, stressing that Tunisian authorities had already granted authorisation to depart. "There is no such reason. We had a security meeting this morning with all agencies, and they even urged us to set sail," he said.

Two explosions hit flotilla ships this week, with organisers saying that they were the result of drone strikes.

The flotilla, composed of around 36 ships and 500 to 700 participants, is the largest maritime mission ever organised to challenge Israel's ongoing siege of Gaza, which has now led to the starvation deaths of at least 367 people.

Chennoufi added that the number of vessels will increase as the fleet meets up with Italian and Spanish boats en route and said Egyptian authorities have authorised an Egyptian vessel to join the convoy.

Thousands of Tunisians gathered on Wednesday at Sidi Bou Said port and along the beaches near Tunis to show their support, waving Palestinian and Tunisian flags and chanting slogans in solidarity with Gaza.

Demonstrators called for an end to Israel’s siege, genocide, and "systematic starvation" of the enclave.

The flotilla brings together hundreds of activists from over 40 countries, representing organisations including the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Global Movement to Gaza, the Maghreb Sumud Flotilla, and the Malaysian Nusantara Resistance Organisation.

This is the first time a coordinated global mission has sought to break Israel’s siege of Gaza since October 2023. Previously, Israel intercepted individual vessels, seizing their cargo and deporting activists from ships or small groups that had launched independently rather than as part of a unified campaign.

Since 2 March, Israel has closed all crossings into Gaza, blocking the entry of food, medicine, and humanitarian aid.

This has led to a famine in the territory, even though thousands of relief trucks are stuck at the territory’s borders.