by IWU-FI. 23 April 2026. The Sumud 2026 Global Flotilla departed from Barcelona on April 12. It was a resounding success. Thousands upon thousands saw off the 39 vessels with a significant mobilisation. The flotilla is made up of small boats that were previously outfitted as part of a new and renewed challenge undertaken by hundreds of activists from around the world in solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
The flotilla is sailing for miles towards Gaza, having already been at sea for several days. Countless videos from the various boats show this valuable and dignified journey across the Mediterranean. People carry out different initiatives and actions every day. On the fourth day, the flotilla passed by Tunisia, where people marched demanding the release of flotilla members whom authorities had arrested in March during preparations in that country. At the time of this writing, the flotilla will be two days away from arriving in Syracuse, Italy (see https://freedomflotilla.org/ffc-tracker/)
The objective is to break the Israeli blockade to allow the entry of much-needed humanitarian aid; to condemn once again the ongoing genocide; to denounce the governments complicit with the Zionist state of Israel, led by the murderer Netanyahu; and to proclaim far and wide, by land and sea: Free Palestine!
The flotilla features a notable Argentinian delegation of 12, including Representative Monica Schlotthauer and Ezequiel Peressini of the Socialist Left and IWU-FI. Both are aboard the vessel Batolo-Amqa (named in honour of a town occupied by the Zionist state of Israel in 1948), which is carrying primarily school supplies and medicine. Peressini is its coordinator. In Italy, Gorkem Duru, from the Workers’ Democratic Party of Turkey, also a member of the IWU-FI, will join the flotilla. Turkey has seen significant support mobilisations, and approximately 20 more boats will join from there.
Our comrades are traveling on the Batolo-Amka, whose sails bear the image of the key representing the Palestinian people’s right of return.
The flotilla has just achieved a major victory: preventing a large ship loaded with weapons from reaching Israeli ports. This powerful example stands in stark contrast to the complicity of major powers in the genocide.
The flotilla hopes to mobilise hundreds of thousands of people across different continents. A significant mobilisation took place in Argentina on 11 April, as well as in other parts of the world.
Members of the Argentinian delegation
Once again, we offer our full internationalist support to this new endeavour of Global Sumud for representing the banner of that global humanitarian cry to end genocide, ethnic cleansing, and the abhorrent murders of children that keep happening in the 21st century.
