Global Sumud Flotilla sets sail from Tunisia to break Gaza blockade

Departure of the flotilla from Tunisia to Gaza was delayed owed to logistical issues.

The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) has begun sailing retired of Tunisia, with organisers and participants saying they are determined to interruption Israel’s siege connected Gaza and present urgently needed humanitarian aid.

The convoy departed from the bluish larboard metropolis of Bizerte with activists from much than 40 countries aboard. Its departure was delayed aft 2 flotilla vessels came nether onslaught earlier this week.

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On Monday, the main vessel Family was struck by a drone portion docked successful Sidi Bou Said, followed by an onslaught connected the vessel Alma connected Tuesday night.

No casualties were reported successful the attacks.

Al Jazeera’s Hassan Massoud, reporting from the Shireen Abu Akleh boat, said: “The planetary flotilla has acceptable sail from the larboard successful Tunisia to the Gaza Strip, its main destination, without immoderate scheduled stops, 14 days aft its departure from Barcelona.

“The ships are carrying nutrient and humanitarian assistance towards Gaza. Volunteers and participants person said this ngo is non-violent; they lone purpose to unfastened a corridor to present assistance towards Palestinian radical successful Gaza.”

A fig of salient figures person joined the flotilla, including clime campaigner Greta Thunberg, Irish histrion Liam Cunningham, and Barcelona’s erstwhile Mayor Ada Colau.

At slightest 4 Italian members of parliament are besides taking part, alongside dozens of different elected officials and activists.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told parliament that Rome had urged Israel to respect the rights of its citizens aboard the flotilla, including parliamentarians.

“Our embassy successful Tel Aviv, nether my instruction, talked to the Israeli authorities astir the respect of the rights for each the chap citizens who are portion of the flotilla, including among them respective members of parliament,” Tajani said.

“I besides called [Israeli] Foreign Minister [Gideon] Saar to personally marque him alert of the matter.”

Tajani said 58 Italians are among the participants and would beryllium provided consular and diplomatic assistance.

Organisers accidental the Global Sumud Flotilla, named aft the Arabic connection for “resilience”, represents 1 of the astir determined challenges yet to Israel’s blockade of Gaza’s coastline.

The effort comes arsenic the United Nations warns that much than fractional a cardinal Palestinians look catastrophic hunger, with assistance groups and ineligible experts describing Israel’s warfare connected Gaza arsenic a genocide.

The attacks connected the convoy travel erstwhile incidents successful which flotilla ships were intercepted oregon targeted astatine sea.

In aboriginal June, Israeli naval forces intercepted the assistance vas Madleen successful planetary waters, seizing its assistance cargo and detaining its unit of 12, portion successful May, different vessel, the Conscience, was deed by drones adjacent Maltese waters, leaving it incapable to continue.