Gaza Aid Flotilla Sails From Tunisia to Meet Dozens More Boats at Sea

The Gaza aid flotilla is sailing again, following a prolonged stop in Tunisia.

Lead Barcelona boat Family left Bizerte, the northernmost city in Africa, with several others on Sunday night to meet 18 boats from Sicily, Italy, at sea.

They will be joined by boats from Greece further into their 14-day sail towards Gaza. 

Novara Media’s Kieran Andrieu remains on board Family. He has now been joined by French-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan, who sailed on the Madleen in June, and Portrait of a Lady on Fire actor Adèle Haenel.

Boats organised by the Maghreb Sumud Flotilla, a north African satellite of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), are also expected to leave Tunis imminently, but they have not yet been added to the group’s online tracker amid confusion about how many are fit to sail.

Nelson Mandela’s grandson, the politician Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, is confirmed to be on board, as part of a delegation from South Africa. 

The stay in Tunisia saw mounting challenges to the flotilla, which faced drone strikes, bureaucratic tensions and logistical issues, including damaged and unfit boats and a shortage of fuel in Bizerte that further delayed departure by several days. What was meant to be a brief stop on 4 September turned into a week’s stay, and – along with bad weather leaving Barcelona – has put the mission ten days behind its original schedule.

At least four boats from Barcelona will not be able to continue due to mechanical issues, highlighting the immense strain this sort of mission places on civilian organisers, captains and crew. Others that were not able to sail on Sunday are expected to follow on Monday or later in the week.

Many people planning to join the mission in Tunisia left disappointed after waiting hours at Sidi Bou Said port in Tunis last week, when it became apparent there were fewer places available than expected, due to the poor condition of some boats. 

Best-selling Irish author Naoise Dolan explained on social media that her boat was cancelled along with “many others”. She said she was saddened by this but would continue to support the mission from land. “Solidarity is not about personal glory,” she said. “The work continues until Palestine is free.”

Journalist Yusuf Omar, who was livestreaming on board Family when the boat was struck by a flaming projectile dropped by a drone last Monday night, has also left the mission, citing a change in the organiser’s media strategy.

Despite a challenging few days, the plan is still for all the boats to come together at sea. Organisers have not provided specific numbers, but given that there are more than 30 boats sailing in the Barcelona and Sicily fleets alone, the final flotilla is expected to be dozens strong, perhaps reaching 50 vessels in total. 

Participants, meanwhile, have remained steadfast despite trying conditions, pointing to the worsening situation in Gaza as a reason to sail despite any obstacle. Although some decided to relinquish their places so that others could take part instead, very few have not wanted to continue. 

As he prepared to leave the port on Sunday night, Andrieu said: “People are so committed to this mission that any setbacks or adversity just seem to make them more determined to see it through. Where organisers have been overstretched, participants have stepped up and self-organised to ensure processes run as smoothly as possible. Underpinning all of this is a burning desire to break Israel’s siege of Gaza and see a free Palestine.”

Several people who have organised aid boats to attempt to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza in the past told Novara Media that delays and changes of plan are to be expected, especially when organising on such an unprecedented scale. However, some key organisers are believed to have stepped down from the steering committee amid the challenges in Tunisia, potentially opening the way for a less centralised and more democratic mission from here on.

In a statement, the GSF steering committee admitted to “miscalculations along the way” in “the massive undertaking of this grassroots mission”, but said it had taken “decisive steps to strengthen our operation”, rather than allowing obstacles – including “Israeli minister Ben-Gvir’s horrifying threats” – to derail the flotilla.