Barcelona — A senior member of the Global Sumud Flotilla has declared that activists preparing to sail toward Gaza will not be intimidated by Israeli threats, framing the mission as an act of moral duty in the face of what organizers describe as Israel’s ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
Hassan Aghajani, International Relations Director for the Artistic Sect of the Islamic Republic of Iran and a participant in the flotilla, said the convoy was built on grassroots resolve and would proceed despite repeated warnings from Israel. “Our lives are not more valuable than those of the people of Gaza,” Aghajani told reporters, stressing that participants see their mission as a humanitarian necessity rather than a political stunt.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is among the largest organized civilian challenges to Israel’s maritime blockade of Gaza in recent years. Activists from more than 40 countries, including Europeans, Latin Americans, and Middle Easterners, have joined the initiative, which involves multiple vessels departing from ports in Spain, Italy, and Tunisia. The organizers insist that the mission is peaceful and inclusive, involving Christians, Muslims, and secular participants alike, unified by what they call solidarity against a siege that has left Gaza’s population facing devastating shortages of food, medicine, and fuel.
Israeli officials, however, have described the flotilla as a provocation. Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has publicly suggested labeling participants as “terrorists,” while Israeli media outlets have hinted at the possibility of a naval interception. Previous flotillas attempting to break the blockade were stopped by Israeli forces, some with deadly consequences.
Despite the risks, the flotilla’s supporters argue that direct action is the only way to force the world’s attention onto Gaza’s worsening humanitarian disaster. They note that official institutions, including Western governments and the United Nations, have failed to lift or even significantly challenge Israel’s blockade, leaving civil society groups to fill the void.
Weather-related delays forced several ships to return temporarily to European ports in late August, but the organizers say they are now sailing again with renewed determination. The mission is expected to converge in international waters before heading toward Gaza by mid-September.
According to Mehr News, Aghajani underlined that the flotilla’s message was clear: “We do not fear Israeli threats.” He added that the presence of diverse participants reflected a broad rejection of collective punishment against Palestinians.
