Tunis, September 07 (QNA) - Tunis has witnessed in recent days a rapid popular, media, and political mobilization ahead of the departure of the Maghreb Sumud Flotilla next Wednesday from the port of Sidi Bou Said toward the Gaza Strip, in a renewed attempt to break the Israeli blockade imposed on the territory for nearly 18 years.

The flotilla forms part of a broader initiative under the Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail from the port of Barcelona, Spain, at the end of August, before being joined by additional vessels from the port of Genoa, Italy. These convoys are expected to converge off the Tunisian coast before heading toward the shores of Gaza.

The operation carries humanitarian, political, symbolic dimensions, and significant optics, within a series of previous international attempts aimed at breaking the naval blockade on Gaza, which is considered by international law an unlawful collective blockade against more than two million Palestinians living in the enclave.

The flotilla gathers Tunisian, foreign, and Arab personalities onboard, primarily human rights activists, trade unionists, representatives, parliamentarians, and volunteers of all ages.

Though the organizers have yet to determine the final number of participants, the announcements of new personalities joining the campaign lend increasing popular momentum and a collective desire to achieve broader international resonance.

Among those participating is Tunisian MP Mohamed Ali, who told the Qatar News Agency (QNA) that he is honored to participate in this campaign as part of his political career and his unflinching commitment to champion just causes, with the Palestinian cause at the top of them.

Also participating is Yassine Al Qaidi, Member of the Executive Board of the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists, representing the syndicate.

QNA reached Al Qaidi, who stressed that journalists can no longer remain silent in the face of the crimes being perpetrated in Gaza.

This participation is not an individual decision, he said, but rather a natural extension of the free press message, which knows no fear and cannot remain idle in front of crimes that include methodical killings, starving, and blockading fellow journalists, whose number has reached 247 fallen.

He expressed hope that the flotilla would succeed in reaching Gaza to deliver urgent humanitarian aid.

Thousands of citizens in Tunis have contributed medicines, food, baby formula, and financial aid to support the flotilla, exceeding the ships' capacity and prompting organizers to halt further donations.

According to Wael Nawar, Executive Committee member of the Global Sumud Flotilla, the funds were used to purchase and equip the ships, with participants trained in maritime operations and emergency scenarios.

This is not the first attempt to break Israel's blockade of Gaza by sea. The most infamous came in May 2010, when the Gaza Freedom Flotilla was stormed in international waters by the Israeli navy. The raid on the Turkish-flagged MV Mavi Marmara left ten Turkish activists dead.

From 2011 to 2018, scattered convoys also set sail, most intercepted or blocked before reaching Gaza. These experiences convinced activists that the sea remains the most direct, if perilous, route to the enclave.

The Maghreb Flotilla now faces similar hazards, declared Israeli intent to intercept, warnings of sabotage before or during the voyage, and natural risks such as rough seas, which already forced a delay in departure.

Organizers stress that the mission is purely humanitarian, aimed at delivering medicine, food, and baby formula, and insist they are prepared for every scenario, from arrest to attack. Observers say the flotilla carries immense symbolic weight, reflecting cross-border solidarity with Gaza.

Participant Louay Charni told QNA that since October 2023 Gaza has endured killings, blockade, and starvation. He called the effort a renewed attempt to break the blockade, this time with dozens of ships and a substantial number of activists on board.

The participation of parliamentarians, union leaders, and public figures underscores that the Palestinian cause retains its central place. The flotilla's committee has called for a mass turnout on the day of departure, framing the launch as a national demonstration of Tunisia's support for Palestine.

According to the announced schedule, the Maghreb convoy will link up with Spanish and Italian counterparts in international waters off Tunisia on September 10, before pressing toward Gaza. Organizers hope to reach its shores within days, despite Israeli threats.

The Maghreb and Global Sumud Flotillas are widely regarded as among the most significant solidarity efforts in years, both in scale and in their political and humanitarian optics. 

As participants steel themselves for all scenarios, the eyes of the world have long dwelt on the Mediterranean, awaiting an initiative that could flip the script in the long struggle to break Gaza's blockade.

Even against the specter of Israeli military power, participants insist they wield a force no less commanding, the voice of human conscience. (QNA)