Global Sumud Flotilla
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The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF; Arabic: أسطول الصمود العالمي, romanized: Usṭūl aṣ-Ṣumūd al-ʿĀlamī), sometimes referred to as the Global Freedom Flotilla (أسطول الحرية العالمي, Usṭūl al-Ḥurriyya al-ʿĀlamī), was an international, civil society-led maritime initiative launched in mid-2025, which attempted to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip but was thwarted in an intercept by Israeli naval forces. It is named for ṣumūd, Arabic for 'steadfastness' or 'resilience'. The initiative emerged in July 2025, organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), Global Movement to Gaza, Maghreb Sumud Flotilla and Sumud Nusantara, during the Gaza war. The flotilla comprised over 40 vessels with 500 participants from more than 44 countries, making it the largest civilian-led convoy of its kind in history. Some attempts to break the Israeli blockade were successful before 2010, but since then ships have been intercepted or attacked by Israeli forces, including an attack by drones in May 2025 and interceptions in international waters in June and July 2025. By early 3 October, Israel had intercepted all vessels of the flotilla, after drone attacks had been reported, and naval vessels dispatched to provide assistance. The flotilla was the first unauthorized naval humanitarian mission to come within 70 nautical miles (130 km) of the Gaza coast since the imposition of the blockade in 2009. The flotilla began to set sail late August 2025 with delegations and convoys departing Otranto, Genoa and Barcelona, followed by Catania, Syros and Tunis early September. On 3 September, the Italian convoy reached Sicily and Tunisian vessels began converging on Tunis. Four days later, part of the Spanish convoy arrived in northern Tunisia, where in the early hours of 9 September, a fire broke out on one of the main vessels, suspected to be a drone attack. A second incendiary attack was reported the following night on another vessel. On 19 September, the Spanish and Tunisian convoys, having merged in Sicily, departed heading towards Greece. On 22 September, the Greek convoy then departed from Milos heading towards Crete, arriving the following day. On the night of 24 September, eleven vessels were attacked by drones. On 28 September, with the convoys merged in Crete, the flotilla departed to continue its journey towards Gaza. Between 1 and 2 October, the Israeli Navy intercepted the ships, detaining hundreds of people. In the evening of the interception, spontaneous protest took place across various locations in Europe in response. Three days later, 42 detainees began a hunger strike in protest, and by 6 October, over a hundred activists had been deported from Israel. Participants reported mistreatment during detention, that was dismissed by the Israeli foreign ministry, and the interception was condemned by several political figures. On 8 October, a subsequent flotilla consisting of 9 ships, organised by FFC and Thousand Madleens to Gaza, was intercepted with participants detained about 120 nautical miles from Gaza. The initiative received support from over a dozen foreign ministers, Italian politicians and political parties, MPs in Spain and Portugal, the President of Colombia Gustavo Petro, and the UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese. In contrast, Israeli minister of national security Itamar Ben-Gvir stated that participants should be imprisoned as terrorists and the Israeli foreign ministry vowed to stop the flotilla. In response to attacks on the flotilla, the Italian ministry of defense sent Italian Navy ships to assist the flotilla and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez dispatched a Spanish Navy vessel in case of a rescue operation. With the navy vessels retreating as the flotilla reached closer to Gaza, the Ministry of National Defense of Turkey confirmed it would continue to ensure the safety of the flotilla if required. The European Commission stated that it does not support aid flotillas to Gaza.