The Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza: Everything you need to know
The Global Sumud Flotilla sets sail from Barcelona towards Gaza, in Barcelona, Spain, on 31 August 2025.
Al Jazeera reports on 2 September 2025:
A global fleet of boats, part of an international maritime initiative aimed at delivering humanitarian aid to starving people in Gaza, was forced to turn back after setting sail on Sunday due to bad weather.
In a statement, the organisers said that due to unsafe weather conditions, including strong winds exceeding 30 knots (55.5km/h), they decided to return to port to prioritise the safety of everyone on board.
The team has scheduled a meeting for Monday to decide when to resume their journey to the Gaza Strip, with the possibility of setting sail later in the day.
The first convoy, consisting of dozens of small civilian vessels carrying activists, humanitarians, doctors, seafarers, and humanitarian supplies, departed from Spanish ports on August 31 to meet up in Tunisia with a second wave on September 4. Organisers describe the Global Sumud Flotilla as the largest maritime mission to Gaza, bringing together more than 50 ships and delegations from at least 44 countries.
Which countries are taking part?
According to the Global Sumud Flotilla, delegations from 44 countries have already committed to sail to Gaza as part of the largest maritime mission to break Israel’s illegal siege.
Countries from six continents will be taking part in the flotilla, including countries such as Australia, Brazil, South Africa and numerous European states. According to the group, participants are unaffiliated with any government or political party.
Which groups are participating?
This mission is organised by four major coalitions, including groups that have participated in previous land and sea campaign efforts to Gaza:
Global Movement to Gaza (GMTG) – Formerly known as Global March to Gaza, it is a grassroots movement organising global solidarity actions to support Gaza and break the siege.
Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) – With 15 years of experience running sea missions, including past flotillas such as the Madleen and Handala, FFC provides hands-on advice, guidance, and operational support to current efforts to break the Gaza blockade.
Maghreb Sumud Flotilla – Formerly known as the Sumud Convoy, it is a North Africa-based initiative carrying out solidarity missions to deliver aid and support to Palestinian communities.
Sumud Nusantara – It is a people-led convoy from Malaysia and eight other countries that aims to break the Gaza blockade and foster solidarity among Global South nations.
Collectively, they will form the largest coordinated civilian flotilla in history.
Who are the people involved?
According to the Global Sumud Flotilla, the coalition comprises a range of people, including organisers, humanitarians, doctors, artists, clergy, lawyers, and seafarers, who are united by a belief in human dignity, the power of nonviolent action, and a single aim: the siege and genocide must end.