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Middle East Eye
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
North African 'resilience convoy' heads to Gaza, aiming to break Israel's siege
A grassroots land convoy is travelling thousands of kilometres from the Tunisian capital to Gaza on Monday, in the hopes of breaking Israel's debilitating 18-year siege on the war-battered Palestinian enclave. Thousands of volunteers from Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia left the Tunisian capital in a 100-vehicle convoy to raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and deliver life-saving aid, organisers said. The United Nations has described Gaza as the "hungriest place on Earth", with nearly half a million people in a catastrophic situation of hunger, acute malnutrition, starvation, illness and death. "The convoy will express solidarity with the Palestinian people under siege and deliver humanitarian aid to them," the coordination group said in a statement. "Participants in the convoy will head to the Ras Jedir crossing on the Tunisian-Libyan border, and travel along the Libyan coastal road to Cairo, then to the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian-Palestinian border, to deliver messages of solidarity and aid to the Palestinians in Gaza," it added. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The "Soumoud" convoy, which means resilience and steadfastness in Arabic, is reported to include trade union and political figures, as well as human rights activists, athletes, lawyers, doctors, journalists, and members of youth organisations. It remains unclear, however, whether the convoy will actually reach the besieged Gaza Strip, as Egyptian officials have yet to authorise the convoy's entry into North Sinai. "This is a message to the people of Gaza: You are not alone," Sheikh Yahya Sari, a member of the Algerian Association of Muslim Scholars, said in a Facebook post. "We share your pain, and this is a form of public pressure against the occupier in the face of international failure to stop the massacres." Earlier on Monday, Israeli forces seized control of a charity vessel aiming to break the blockade of the Gaza Strip and detained its crew of 12, including activist Greta Thunberg. Gaza flotilla: The Madleen shows us the world as it could be Read More » The British-flagged yacht Madleen, operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition, was aiming to deliver a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid, including rice and baby formula, to Gaza later on Monday. However, the boat was intercepted in the early hours of Monday, hours after Israel's defence minister, Israel Katz, said that Israel's military would use "any means necessary" to stop it from breaching the naval blockade of Gaza. In recent years, several ships have attempted to break Israel's land, sea and naval blockade on the Gaza Strip, but have repeatedly been pushed back by Israeli forces. In 2010, the Mavi Marmara flotilla mission was attacked by Israeli forces who boarded the ship and killed ten activists. And last month, another vessel organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Conscience, failed to continue its journey to Gaza after being struck by two drones near Maltese waters. Since October 2023, over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces, according to Palestinian health and government officials, including more than 28,000 women and girls. The figure also includes at least 1,400 health sector professionals, 280 UN aid workers - the highest staff death toll in UN history - and nearly 190 journalists, the highest number of media workers killed in conflict since the Committee to Protect Journalists began recording data in 1992.
Roya News
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Roya News
Algerian-led humanitarian convoy departs for Gaza to break 'Israeli' siege
A major solidarity convoy named 'The First Convoy of Steadfastness' set off Sunday morning from Algiers toward the besieged Gaza Strip, as part of the 'Algerian Initiative to Support Palestine and Aid Gaza.' The convoy includes over 200 activists and supporters, including Algerian parliamentarians and diplomats, reflecting both popular and official support for the Palestinian cause. The mission aims to break the ongoing 'Israeli' siege on Gaza and demand an end to the months-long bombardment that has caused an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. The convoy departed from the headquarters of the 'Generation of Balance Academy' and is led by Sheikh Yahya Sari, a member of the Algerian Association of Muslim Scholars. It will first head to Tunisia to join a Tunisian convoy, before continuing through Libya and Egypt to reach the Rafah border crossing. 'This is a message to the people of Gaza: You are not alone,' Sheikh Sari said in a Facebook post. 'We share your pain, and this is a form of public pressure against the occupier in the face of international failure to stop the massacres.' Political and Humanitarian Message The convoy represents more than a humanitarian gesture. Organizers say it is also a political and moral message against Israeli Occupation's blockade of Gaza, which has led to severe shortages in food and medicine, and the destruction of infrastructure. Wael Nouar, the convoy's spokesperson, said the broader initiative involves more than 7,000 participants from across the Maghreb - Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Morocco, and Mauritania - and aims to pressure for the opening of the Rafah crossing and delivery of aid currently stockpiled in Egypt's Al-Arish. Facing Challenges The convoy is expected to face complex logistical and political challenges, especially given Israeli Occupation's control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing and coordination hurdles with Egyptian authorities. Organizers said the convoy would remain at the border for 2–5 days in an attempt to gain entry, with coordination support from international bodies such as the Global March to Gaza and the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. Some reports warn that 'Israel' may attempt to use the convoy to promote a misleading narrative about "open humanitarian corridors," despite restricting real access to aid. Maghreb and Global Solidarity The convoy is part of a broader wave of international support, with delegations from 42 countries—by land, air, and sea—joining the movement. Salahuddin Al-Masri, a Tunisian organizer, said the initiative reflects the 'will of the people of the Maghreb to stand with Palestine.' This comes amid dire warnings from the UN and humanitarian organizations that famine is threatening over two million Palestinians in Gaza. UNICEF reports that 92% of children under two and breastfeeding mothers suffer from severe malnutrition. Cry for Help Amid Catastrophe The convoy comes at a time when Gaza is experiencing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis; ongoing bombardment, mass displacement, and acute shortages of basic necessities. Since March 2025, Israeli Occupation has reportedly blocked aid entry, intensifying the suffering of civilians, particularly children, who are described by UNICEF as 'going to bed starving.'
