Malaysian groups plan 'thousand Ship flotilla' to break Israel's siege of Gaza

Malaysian civil society organisations on Saturday announced a plan to launch what they describe as the largest maritime mobilisation in the world to break the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip.

The campaign, known as the "Thousand Ship Flotilla", aims to dispatch vessels from multiple continents in a coordinated effort to deliver humanitarian aid and pressure Israel to end its siege.

The initiative was unveiled during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur by Azmi Abdul Hamid, head of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations (MAPIM).

He said the effort was a direct response to the increasingly brutal Israeli military campaign and the "genocidal crimes" being committed in Gaza.

According to Abdul Hamid, coordination is already underway with civil society groups in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, and the flotilla idea has received "unprecedented support".

He cited the recent seizure of the humanitarian ship Madleen by the Israeli military as a key turning point.

While that ship was prevented from reaching Gaza, Abdul Hamid said it succeeded in drawing renewed global attention to the situation in the Strip.

He added that the planned flotilla would be "larger and more organised" than the Mavi Marmara flotilla of 2010, which ended in the killing of ten activists by Israeli forces.

A joint statement signed by dozens of Malaysian organisations outlined the objectives of the flotilla: to lift the blockade on Gaza, facilitate humanitarian aid delivery, secure international protection for Palestinians, and demand accountability for Israeli war crimes.

The organisers also called on governments worldwide to protect their nationals participating in the flotilla—an appeal aimed at increasing diplomatic pressure on Israel through indirect means.

In parallel, Malaysian activists held a demonstration outside the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, calling for an end to ties with companies that continue to operate in the occupied territories.

Protesters singled out American firm Caterpillar, which supplies the Israeli military with bulldozers used in the demolition of Palestinian homes. Demonstrators accused such firms of complicity in the ongoing assault on Gaza.

MAPIM also announced plans to launch an international secretariat and financial fund to coordinate logistics, vessel procurement, and outreach. The council appealed to individuals, humanitarian groups, and companies to contribute technical and material support.

The proposed flotilla comes amid growing frustration with the failure of international institutions to halt the war on Gaza or enforce international humanitarian law. With public support for Palestine rising in many parts of the world, flotilla organisers hope the campaign will generate political momentum.

The organisers said that preparations are ongoing and further announcements will follow in the coming weeks.