Will Pope Leo board Tunisia's Global Somoud Flotilla to Gaza?

Organisers of the Somoud flotilla are calling on government officials across the region to board the biggest ever aid fleet bound for Gaza next month, hoping their presence will provide a layer of protection for activists following a string of arrests by the Israeli army.

The call comes after Israeli forces detained international campaigners on two separate occasions as they attempted to deliver baby formula and medical supplies to the besieged coastal enclave.

Now, with a broader, more ambitious mission in motion, the flotilla's backers are appealing for political figures to step aboard.

"Our [Malaysia's] Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has agreed to be part of the fleet", said Nadir Al-Nuri, director of the Malaysian group Sumud Nusantara.

"We call on all other officials of the countries participating to join our initiative to break the siege on Gaza," added Al-Nuri during a press conference on Monday, 4 August.

At 10 a.m. Monday, dozens of activists from over 30 countries gathered at Tunisia's National Union headquarters to announce details of the upcoming departure, the latest in a series of efforts to breach Israel's 17-year blockade, 22-month genocide and a manmade famine in the Gaza Strip.

The Global Somoud Flotilla, a coordinated, nonviolent initiative of small vessels departing from Spanish and Tunisian ports, aims to challenge Israel's naval siege by delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.

It borrows its name from the land convoy that departed Tunis in June but was intercepted by forces aligned with Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar near Sirte and forced to turn back.

This time, Tunisia's Coordination for Joint Action for Palestine, the group behind the land convoy, has partnered with Freedom Flotilla, Global Freedom to Gaza, and Asia's Sumud Nusantara for what organisers describe as the largest sea mission yet.

The coalition includes veterans from earlier efforts such as the Madleen and Handala missions.

"Boats are set to depart from Spain on 31 August, with additional vessels joining from Tunis on 4 September", confirmed Yasemin Acar, a German activist who joined the Madeleen Flotilla in June and now serves on the Somoud organising committee.

Along the way, activists plan to hold rallies and encampments in each port of call. "It will be so hard to stop us this time," added the activist.

While the exact number of boats remains undecided, organisers say the convoy will include dozens of vessels. "Every boat represents a community and a refusal to stay silent in the face of genocide," said Wael Naouar, a leading figure in the Somoud campaign.

From the Maghreb, pro-Palestinian groups in Tunisia, Libya, Algeria and Mauritania have confirmed their participation. 

A source from Morocco's Palestine solidarity group expressed strong interest but said logistical and legal hurdles may prevent them from joining.

In June, Moroccan activists were unable to participate in the land convoy due to the closure of the Algeria-Morocco border and Egypt's refusal to allow them to encamp near Rafah.

To widen participation, Tunisia's organising committee has opened applications to volunteers from the Maghreb, with an age range of 30 to 65.

However, organisers stressed that land-based advocacy, such as protests, rallies, and media campaigns, would be as crucial as being on board.

Next week, the group plans to launch a public campaign urging officials to join the mission.

In previous flotillas, several French Members of Parliament joined the aid ships, using their platforms to bring attention to the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. Organisers are now calling for more high-profile figures to join, including religious leaders.

On social media, activists and Palestinians have called on Pope Leo to join the aid missions.

The calls began in July, after an Israeli artillery shell struck the compound of Gaza's only Catholic Church, killing three people and injuring ten.

While the prospect of the Pope joining the flotilla remains remote, organisers are hopeful that prominent figures from the region—particularly those who have publicly expressed support for Palestine—will seize the moment to act.

"Silence today is an active participation in the genocide. Whoever doesn't take a stand against the genocide is complicit in Israel's crimes," said Saif Abu Keshek, a Palestinian member of the Somoud committee.