DaysofPal — Organizers of a global solidarity campaign declared a large-scale mobilization toward the Gaza Strip in April, involving more than 100 ships and several overland convoys heading to the Rafah Border Crossing, in the most extensive coordinated effort of its kind so far.
Nabil Shanoufi, a representative of the Global Steadfastness Fleet, told Sanad News Agency that the ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza, the closure of the Rafah crossing, and tightening blockade conditions have triggered an unprecedented worldwide response.
He said the initiative would involve synchronized land and sea convoys departing from multiple continents, transporting humanitarian supplies and participants from more than 100 countries.
Shanoufi said one land convoy is expected to leave East Asia, traveling through Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey before entering Egypt en route to Rafah, subject to possible changes depending on regional circumstances.
A second convoy is planned from Mauritania, crossing Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya before continuing toward Egypt.
Organizers say the campaign seeks to challenge the blockade, halt military actions, and draw international attention to the humanitarian situation faced by civilians in Gaza.
The maritime component could become the largest solidarity flotilla ever assembled, Shanoufi said, with preparations underway for more than 100 vessels and ambitions to expand the number to as many as 170 ships.
Among the ships will reportedly be a medical vessel staffed by doctors and healthcare workers and equipped to provide field treatment, as well as another carrying engineers and reconstruction specialists tasked with assessing damage and assisting rebuilding efforts.
Participants also intend to help establish a school in Gaza as a symbolic act aimed at restoring normal life amid widespread destruction.
Shanoufi criticized the administration of the Rafah crossing, describing it as a humanitarian bottleneck rather than a functioning gateway.
He said thousands of patients, injured civilians, students, and residents with foreign permits remain unable to leave Gaza under a restrictive and opaque system.
He argued that repeated closures, strict travel approvals, and limits on essential supplies amount to collective punishment and contravene international standards on freedom of movement and access to healthcare.
“The right to travel for treatment or education should not become a degrading ordeal,” he said, urging that the crossing be opened permanently under arrangements that safeguard human dignity.
In October 2025, Israeli naval forces intercepted more than 40 ships linked to the Global Steadfastness Fleet as they approached Gaza, detaining hundreds of volunteers from dozens of countries.
Earlier this month, at a press conference in Johannesburg, organizers announced a new voyage scheduled to depart March 9 from Barcelona and other Mediterranean ports, alongside land convoys carrying food and medical assistance.
The Rafah crossing remains the primary exit point for Gaza’s population of more than two million people and a key channel for humanitarian aid deliveries.
Since early 2024, it has been under Israeli control, with infrastructure reportedly damaged during military operations.
As preparations continue, organizers say the effort is intended as a message of global solidarity.
Shanoufi said participants hope the initiative will help ease suffering in Gaza and refocus international attention on the enclave’s humanitarian crisis.
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