A group of 108 elected representatives and parliamentarians worldwide signed an urgent statement, demanding governments immediately open a humanitarian corridor into Gaza and guarantee protection for the Sumud flotilla, now sailing in an attempt to breach Israel’s suffocating blockade.
“We call on all states and relevant authorities to take every possible measure to guarantee, at a minimum, the opening of a safe and continuous humanitarian corridor to Gaza. This is a moral, legal, and humanitarian
imperative. Civilians must have access to life-saving aid without obstruction or delay,” signatories declared on Wednesday In the statement drafted by organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
They emphasized the right and duty of civil society to engage in peaceful, nonviolent humanitarian initiatives. “The Global Sumud Flotilla, committed to delivering aid and standing in solidarity with the people of Gaza, must be fully protected,” they added.
Governments and international institutions were urged to ensure that the flotilla's mission “is neither obstructed nor endangered.” The statement stressed, “the Global Sumud Flotilla initiative is a legal initiative and therefore can not be attacked or stopped.”
Among those signing the statement are 12 activists and politicians currently aboard the Sumud flotilla, including former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, former Spanish MP and advisor Lucia Muñoz Dalda, and Polish lawmaker Franciszek Sterczewski.
The signatories condemned Israel’s weaponization of starvation, calling it a violation of Article 54 of the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions. They demanded respect for “the right of the Palestinian people to live in peace and freedom in their own land.”
Following a brief breakdown in communications on Monday, which forced the flotilla to temporarily delay sail time, 19 boats are currently back en route to Gaza—attempting once again to break Israel’s siege.
Additional vessels from Greece, Italy, and Tunisia are expected to link up with the Sumud Flotilla in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Israel’s national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has unveiled a plan to intercept the flotilla and detain activists under harsh conditions. The latest appeal from international figures underscores mounting concern for the safety of those on board.
The Sumud flotilla’s mission is to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza despite Israel’s imposed blockade, and force global attention onto the humanitarian catastrophe endured by Palestinians in the Strip.
Israel has previously attacked flotilla missions, most infamously the 2010 Mavi Marmara massacre of 10 activists, and more recently through strikes and interceptions on the Conscience, Madleen, and Handala. The new statement warns that these dangers remain acute as the current convoy approaches Gaza.
