Activists announce new, bigger aid flotilla to set sail for Gaza in March

"The Global Sumud Flotilla announced Thursday that it will sail more than 100 boats carrying up 1,000 activists, including medics and war crimes investigators, to Gaza in March. Meeting at the foundation of late South African leader Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg, the campaigners described the undertaking as the largest-ever, civilian-led mobilisation against Israel's actions in Gaza. The flotilla will be supported by a land convoy across nearby Arab countries, expected to attract thousands more backers, Mandela added."

"Last October, Israel's military intercepted some 40 boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla as they carried aid to blockaded Gaza, arresting more than 450 participants, including Mandela, Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg and European Parliament member Rima Hassan. Several detainees alleged physical and psychological abuse while in Israeli custody. Flotilla organisers said they were acting to break Israel's illegal siege of the enclave and accused Israel's seizure of their vessels of violating international maritime law."

"Israeli officials had denounced that flotilla and earlier smaller-scale efforts to sail aid into Gaza as publicity stunts. Flotilla organisers said they were acting to break Israel's illegal siege of the enclave and accused Israel's seizure of their vessels of violating international maritime law. Israel has heavily restricted supplies of aid since it launched a genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza, causing famine-like conditions in the enclave."

The Global Sumud Flotilla will sail more than 100 boats carrying up to 1,000 activists, including medics and war crimes investigators, to Gaza in March. Campaigners met at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg and described the mission as the largest-ever civilian-led mobilisation against Israel's actions in Gaza. The flotilla will be supported by a land convoy across nearby Arab countries expected to attract thousands of backers. Last October Israeli forces intercepted about 40 boats, arresting over 450 participants and prompting allegations of physical and psychological abuse in custody. Organisers say the mission aims to break what they call an illegal siege, while activists and humanitarians warn that Israeli restrictions have caused famine-like conditions and UN relief remains far short of needs.

Read at www.aljazeera.com