After Israeli raid on Madleen aid ship, Tunisian-led land convoy pushes ahead to break Gaza blockade

Following the Israeli navy's interception of the Freedom Flotilla vessel Madleen, a grassroots land convoy known as Somoud ("resilience") is moving across North Africa in a renewed bid to break the blockade on Gaza and deliver life-saving humanitarian aid.

The initiative comes as Gaza faces a deepening famine, with over 2 million Palestinians suffering from deliberate and systematic deprivation.

"This is a civil and popular initiative in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza," said Wael Naouar, a member of the Coordination for Joint Action for Palestine in Tunisia, one of the organisers. "We refuse to remain silent."

The 100-vehicle convoy, made up of buses and private cars, departed early Monday from Avenue Mohamed V in central Tunis. It is travelling through key cities including Sousse, Sfax, Gabes, Medenine and Ben Guerdane, before reaching the Ras Jedir crossing into Libya later today.

From there, the convoy will follow the Libyan coastal highway eastward, aiming to cross into Egypt through the Salloum border post.

"We plan to pass through Cairo and reach North Sinai, from where we will attempt to enter Rafah and Gaza," Naouar told The New Arab. "It won’t be easy, but we’re determined."

Organisers have also coordinated efforts with international activists arriving in Egypt by air, and had been in contact with the Madleen before it was forcibly boarded by Israeli forces in international waters late Sunday night. All 12 civilian activists aboard, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, were detained.

Who is part of Tunisia's Somoud convoy?

The convoy includes around 1,500 participants, approximately 1,000 Tunisians, 200 Algerians, and several dozen Libyans. Organisers say over 7,000 people applied, but numbers were capped for logistical reasons.

Moroccan activists, meanwhile, are travelling to Egypt by air to stage a symbolic protest near the Rafah crossing. They have stated they will not proceed without official Egyptian approval.

While Egypt has yet to authorise the convoy's entry into North Sinai, organisers report receiving "positive diplomatic signals" from Tunisian officials.

"We're optimistic but realistic," said Naouar. "There may be delays or outright refusal, but we are prepared. Israel and its allies don’t want this kind of people’s movement to succeed."

If the convoy is blocked at Salloum, activists say they would be prepared to camp there indefinitely. "Even that will send a message," said one organiser.

Participants have been trained to handle political and logistical obstacles, including potential border delays. The convoy includes medics, lawyers, trade unionists, students, farmers, and everyday citizens.

"Practising medicine is a form of resistance," said Dr. Salma Dakar, a member of the Tunisian Young Doctors Organisation. "Our moral duty as doctors is to stand against genocide and be present for our people in Gaza."

The convoy is accompanied by volunteers from the Tunisian Red Crescent up to the Libyan border and has received backing from major civil society groups, including the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), the National Bar Association, the Tunisian League for Human Rights, and the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES).

"After hundreds of vigils and protests, it’s time for practical solidarity," said UGTT representative Samir Cheffi. "This is a moral obligation. The entire Arab world is under threat from displacement and expansionist policies."

'We're not waiting'

"We're reclaiming our voice. We’re not waiting for Arab summits or empty statements. We’re taking action," she added.

Organisers view this convoy as the first in a planned series, aiming to build a permanent popular movement against Israel’s siege.

Tunisia has seen some of the region’s most sustained grassroots support for Gaza, with weekly protests outside the US embassy in Tunis and strong calls to end Western support for Israel’s war. But organisers say protest alone is no longer enough.

According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), 470,000 people in Gaza are experiencing catastrophic hunger. The entire population faces acute food insecurity.

Israel halted all aid to Gaza two months ago, shortly before resuming military operations following a collapsed ceasefire. Since October 2023, over 51,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the enclave’s health authorities.

People over power

The convoy's departure coincides with the Israeli raid on the Madleen, which had set sail from Sicily on 1 June. Organisers say the timing is deliberate.

"The overlap between the Madleen and our launch is not a coincidence," Naouar said. "It's a message: stop dozens, and thousands will rise."

Despite lacking media personalities or Western passports, Tunisian volunteers are pushing forward. "We don’t believe in the impossible," Naouar added.

At the time of publication, the Somoud convoy was en route from Tunis to Gabes, cheered on by locals chanting the lines that sparked Tunisia's 2011 revolution: "If one day, a people desires to live, then fate will answer their call… their chains will break and fall."

In towns along the route, the convoy's passage has turned into an impromptu day of celebration, with many skipping work or school to greet and join the procession.