The Libyan vessel Omar Al Mukhtar set sail on Thursday to join the Global Sumud Flotilla, a global civil society mission launched to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza and deliver urgently needed humanitarian aid.
Organizers announced the departure during a press conference in Tripoli, attended by former prime minister Omar Al-Hasi, human rights advocates, and Arab and foreign supporters. The ship had been scheduled to depart on Tuesday—coinciding with Libya’s Martyr’s Day, commemorating the execution of anti-colonial leader Omar Al Mukhtar—but was delayed by logistical issues, the organizers explained.
Al-Hasi, traveling aboard the ship, noted that among the crew there is one British, one Canadian, and one Scottish activist, with the rest being Libyans. He emphasized, “This fleet does not represent any government, group, party, or movement.”
On Tuesday, the Global Sumud Flotilla steering committee issued a statement distancing itself from vessels not listed on its official tracking system—including the Omar Al Mukhtar. The committee underscored that all affiliated boats are bound by a code of conduct centered on nonviolence and a commitment to resist the transformation of land and sea into “spaces of displacement and death.”
Although the Libyan ship is not formally part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, its organizers emphasized that both initiatives share a humanitarian mission: to meet in international waters and sail together toward Gaza with aid supplies and symbolic solidarity for civilians under siege.
“The message is clear and peaceful. Our goal is purely humanitarian—we want to deliver relief and medical supplies to the people of Gaza. We are not fighters, but public figures bearing a moral responsibility,” spokesperson for the Omar Al Mukhtar, Nabil Al Soukni said.
Al Soukni explained that the mission took more than a month to organize, including fundraising, ship maintenance, security and logistical preparations. “Departing from Tripoli is not just a journey—it is a moral duty towards a people facing genocide, as we witness daily in the images of children and victims in Gaza,” he added.
A global campaign at sea
Launched in August, the Global Sumud Flotilla has mobilized 49 vessels ranging in size from small boats to mid-sized ships. It is coordinated by the Maghreb Sumud Flotilla, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Global Movement to Gaza, and Sumud Nusantara. Organizers describe it as the largest civil society effort to directly challenge Israel's blockade on the besieged enclave by sea.
Each participating boat is regionally coordinated, legally vetted, and crewed by activists trained in nonviolence and safety. Together, the global flotilla vessels seek to establish a humanitarian corridor into Gaza, while raising the political cost of Israel's military actions against Palestinians.
The mission has already faced obstacles. Earlier this month, two drone strikes targeted vessels in Tunisia. Organizers told Al Manassa that passenger numbers were reduced on some boats leaving Italy, Tunisia, and Greece in anticipation of “increasingly hostile conditions.”
Fuel shortages, equipment delays, and adverse weather have also disrupted departure schedules. Six members of the Gulf delegation withdrew as a result, Khalil Buhazaa the GCC delegation spokesman told Al Manassa.
Announced on July 21, the Gulf delegation originally included 11 citizens from Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar. Kuwaiti life coach Duaa Al Drees—who said her children encouraged her to join—later withdrew, expressing pride in supporting the initiative and offering prayers for her colleagues still on board.
Five participants from Bahrain and Oman managed to join other flotilla vessels, becoming the first Gulf nationals to take part in an effort of this scale, Buhazaa said. The delegation raised more than €100,000 within weeks to finance their involvement, reflecting the extent of grassroots support for the mission.
On Tuesday, foreign ministers from 16 countries, including Oman, issued a joint statement urging Israel to comply with international law and refrain from violence against the flotilla. They expressed “serious concern” for the safety of participants, warning that any assault on ships in international waters or arbitrary detention “will lead to accountability.”
The call came as Israel’s national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened to arrest all participants and prevent the convoy from advancing. Organizers responded by enhancing security, conducting sea drills, and relocating ships to alternative ports.
Boats that departed Spain and Tunisia are sailing toward the Italian coast, where they are expected to rendezvous near Sicily with other flotilla vessels. Additional ships from Greece will later join the convoy before it heads toward Gaza.
The International Committee to Break the Israeli Siege of Gaza confirmed that all boats will converge before proceeding as a unified flotilla. In addition, two boats from Italy’s F.lotta network have joined the mission.
F.lotta is a self-organized movement of activists and collectives who protest the EU's border policies by occupying the Mediterranean Sea. Using boats, they advocate for freedom of movement and reject the border regime, which they criticize as a racist and violent system.
“Together, our boats sail to break the siege, deliver aid, and stand with the people of Gaza in their fight for life and dignity. Every boat that joins strengthens this global movement for liberation,” the Sumud organizers said in a statement.
