The organizers of the“Maghreb Sumud flotilla” claim to continue their crossing despite difficult conditions and proven risks. Ghassan Henchiri and Wael Nawar, members of the convoy management team, assured Sunday that the mission was determined to reach Gaza to transport humanitarian aid and “put pressure in order to break the blockade”.
In a video published on the official Facebook page of the flotilla, recorded aboard the ship “Mali / Deir Yassin”, Henchiri said that “after almost six days of navigation”, the convoy had just left Italian waters (Sicily) towards international waters close to Greece. “We are well, our determination is strong and we are going to Gaza,” he said, recalling that units of the convoy were part of Spain and other countries.
Wael Nawar said that the “Deir Yassin”, a ship at the top of the convoy, would slightly reduce its speed to allow other boats to stay aligned and move forward together. He insisted on the precarious nature of the small boat – only 24 people on boardlimited resources and unstable weather – without it to endure the morale of the participants. “The days separate from Gaza are few,” he added.
The organizers also report overflights by two drones twice above ships, events which, according to them, have sparked neither afraid nor panic among the crews. “We are ready for all scenarios,” said Nawar, highlighting the preparation of participants in the face of security risks.
The officials bet on the political and media impact of a convoy composed, according to them, of approximately 50 ships from different countries and peoples. They believe that an operation of such magnitude can contribute to put an end to the strikes and the blockade which strike the population of Gaza, calling on public opinion to mobilize in the face of the “scenes of killing, extermination, displacement and famine” disseminated by the media.
“It would be a shame to remain passive and silent peoples before this massacre,” concluded Nawar, calling on citizens to occupy the streets and put pressure on diplomatic representations of Israel and the United States in countries that maintain normal relations with Tel Aviv.
