The general coordinator of the preparatory committee for the Egyptian Sumud Flotilla, Khaled Basiony, announced that the flotilla intends to depart for Gaza by Sept. 16 to join the global solidarity flotilla.
On Saturday evening, 55 Egyptian activists declared their commitment to participate in the Global Sumud Flotilla, which aims to reach Gaza as part of a broader initiative to challenge the Israeli blockade.
The preparatory committee convened its first session Sunday at the Journalists Syndicate. Attendees included prominent figures such as Civil Democratic Movement spokesperson Walid El-Amary, journalist Rasha Azab, lawyers Haytham Mohamadeen and Mahienour El-Massry, along with members of the “Students for Palestine” initiative.
Basiony, designated by the committee as its coordinator, told Al Manassa, “So far, approximately 400 individuals have signed applications to join the flotilla. In addition, nearly 15 political parties—including Al-Karama, Al-Dostour, and the Conservatives—have endorsed the initiative.”
The flotilla is responding to an appeal from the international coalition, which set off from Spain last week, he explained. “We chose the maritime route instead of the land corridor to avoid placing Egypt in a politically sensitive position. The Rafah crossing remains a contested site, and we do not seek to draw the state into complications.”
In June, Egyptian security forces prevented hundreds of foreign pro-Palestinian activists from proceeding through the Ismailia gate toward Rafah and confiscated their passports. They had been attempting to join efforts to break the blockade.
Basiony called on political parties and professional syndicates for support. “Our sole objective is to break the siege on Gaza. We are not seeking confrontation, but rather striving to secure a chance at life for Palestinians.”
According to Basiony, the committee will hold a conference on Monday at the Karama Party headquarters to outline a 10-day action plan. This includes finalizing logistical preparations for departure. “We will also announce methods for collecting financial and in-kind donations to be shipped aboard the flotilla, designate collection points, and invite public figures to deliver statements of support,” he added.
In a joint statement Saturday, Egyptian activists affirmed that the country’s participation represents “a national and moral obligation that cannot be deferred. It reinforces Egypt’s historic role in supporting the Palestinian people.”
The Global Sumud Flotilla departed Barcelona on Sept. 2 with more than 300 activists. Additional vessels from Tunisia, Italy, and Greece are expected to join in the coming days. The mission’s stated objectives are to deliver humanitarian assistance, challenge what organizers describe as an unlawful blockade, and draw international attention to Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
Last week, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir unveiled a plan to prevent the flotilla from reaching Gaza. His proposal includes detaining participants in Israel’s Ketziot and Damon prisons, where conditions typically imposed on Palestinian detainees involve restrictions on communications and amenities such as television, radio, and specialized food. He suggested that flotilla participants could be held for extended periods under these terms.
This plan follows earlier confrontations. In May, Israel used drones to attack the Al-Damir, a vessel in the Freedom Flotilla, near Malta. In June, Israeli forces intercepted the Madleen after its departure from Sicily, detaining activists on board and deporting them. The vessel Handala experienced the same fate.
Campaign to Support Palestinian Journalists
In a separate development, Journalists Syndicate head Khaled Elbalshy launched a campaign to support Palestinian journalists, praising their efforts to counter “the false narrative of the occupation” and to continue reporting despite attempts to silence and physically eliminate them.
The initiative was announced at a Sunday conference organized by the syndicate, which also highlighting the experience of Palestinian prisoner Osama Al-Ashqar, who spent 23 years in Israeli detention.
Elbalshy stated that the syndicate will hold a press conference in the coming days, in collaboration with the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate in Egypt and its head, Nasser Abu Bakr, to provide details of the campaign.
“The initiative seeks to document and expose the grave violations committed against Palestinian journalists,” Elbalshy said, noting that approximately 250 journalists have been killed since the outbreak of the current war. He explained that the campaign is producing an interactive map documenting targeted locations, an archive of visual materials, and a booklet compiling photographs and biographical data of journalists.
The campaign also includes organizing seminars and conferences with experts to analyze violations, and a call for media outlets to dedicate a day of solidarity by publishing reports, cartoons, or investigative pieces on these abuses. “We urge Egyptian and Arab outlets to contribute materials that shed light on these crimes,” Elbalshy said.
He added that the initiative will coordinate with international organizations focused on press freedom and human rights to pursue accountability for those responsible through international legal mechanisms.
The conference concluded with the discussion and signing of two books by Osama Al-Ashqar, “Prison Has Another Taste” and “Letters that Broke the Chains”, published by Shams Publishing and Media. Attendees included Haidar Al-Jubouri, head of the Palestine Affairs Department at the Arab League; Tarek Fahmy, professor of political science and national security at Cairo University; and Mohamed Ghareeb, secretary-general of the Fatah movement in Cairo.
