Global Somoud Flotilla risks lives to deliver aid to Gaza amid world inaction

The Global Somoud Flotilla's mission faces life-threatening odds as they attempt to breach Israel's blockade of Gaza. Organisers have warned there is a 50% chance that activists joining the mission could be killed.

Since July, thousands of volunteers from around the world have applied to participate in the biggest ever aid fleet bound for Gaza, which aims to deliver humanitarian aid amid severe famine in the Palestinian enclave.

"No one can really give an exact percentage of the danger we are facing. But yes, 50% or more chance of being struck, arrested, or never making it back", said Wael Naouar, a member of Tunisia's Coordination for Joint Action for Palestine, a co-organising committee of the fleet.

"We are aware of these dangers and willing to take the risk," he confirmed during a recent appearance in Mistkousi podcast.

The Somoud flotilla is set to depart at the end of this month. It's the latest in a series of efforts to breach Israel's 17-year blockade and confront a 22-month genocide and manmade famine in Gaza.

The fleet takes its name from a land convoy that left Tunis in June but was intercepted by forces aligned with Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar near Sirte and forced to turn back.

This time, the Tunisian coalition is working with other civil society groups, including Freedom Fleet, Global Freedom to Gaza, the Global Gaza Movement, and Malaysia's Sumud Nusantara.

Dozens of vessels are expected to join. Each will carry around half a ton of aid. "This is just a small amount of aid compared with what people in Gaza need, but we hope it will pave the way for larger deliveries," said Naouar. 

Past attempts have been blocked by Israeli forces, with ships such as the Handala, Marmara Blue and Madleen illegally intercepted by Israeli navy dozens to hundreds of miles from Gaza with activists arrested.

Organisers say the mission is civilian and nonviolent, with no government backing, but they hope influential world leaders and celebrities will join to raise its profile.

They have openly called on government officials across the region to join the mission, hoping their presence will offer a layer of protection for activists following a string of arrests by the Israeli army.

So far, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is the only confirmed politician from the global south to participate.

Activists have also urged Pope Leo to join the fleet to help secure safe passage, with American singer Madonna publicly backing the call. The Vatican has yet to respond.

Boats are set to depart from Spain on 31 August, with additional ships joining from Tunis on 4 September.

The fleet will follow international waters to Gaza, holding rallies and encampments at each port of call along the way.

Pro-Palestinian groups from Morocco, Libya, Algeria, and Mauritania have confirmed participation. 

"We will join Somoud to break the blockade, expose international complicity in war crimes, and restore public attention to the Palestinian cause," Abdelhafid Al-Sriti, a member of Morocco's Group for Action for Palestine, confirmed. 

He added that Morocco's presence would be "strong and highly visible," matching the Moroccan people's "commitment to the Palestinian cause."

In Tunisia, the Maghreb Somoud Fleet has launched a fundraising campaign to cover participation costs.

Announced on the fleet's official Facebook page, the campaign runs until 4 September. Donations are restricted to Tunisian citizens presenting a national ID, while anonymous contributions or cheques are rejected to ensure transparency.

All donations are overseen by an accountant and legal officer, with receipts issued including donor details and amounts. Any surplus funds will be donated to UNRWA in Gaza.

"It will be so hard to stop us this time," warned Yasemin Acar, a German activist who joined the Madeleen Flotilla in June and now serves on the Somoud organising committee.