Nazeeha Saeed is a Bahraini journalist and international correspondent with more than 20 years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital media. She received the Palm Foundation Award for Freedom of the Press and Expression in 2014.
In early April, the Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from Barcelona, Spain, with the goal of exposing what Saif Abu Keshek, an organizing committee member, described as international complicity and Israeli crimes. The flotilla aimed to challenge the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza, demanding the opening of a humanitarian corridor. Like previous efforts to break the blockade, the participants understood the risks and chances of success, putting their safety on the line to peacefully push back on Israel's genocide in the Strip.
This latest mission, intercepted by Israeli authorities in May in international waters, followed the same maritime mission from the previous year. Organizers say it was in direct response to calls from Palestinians in Gaza, serving as an initiative rooted in Palestinian leadership while drawing its momentum from grassroots, pro-Palestine movements worldwide. At minimum, the organizers believed that the effort would raise awareness about Israel's intentional deprivation of the Gaza Strip, which included preventing any reasonable flow of food, medical supplies and other resources to Palestinian communities.
Organizers hope to transform these missions into a sustainable political force and a replicable model for global justice akin to an international movement independent of governments. Their website highlights this mission, stating that "sovereignty over Palestinian land and waters is the exclusive right of the Palestinian people." Abu Keshek noted that the flotilla is a part of a broader solidarity movement characterized by diverse strategies, ranging from the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, marches, direct action and solidarity flotillas. He added that diversity in action strengthens the movement and should continue to expand.
Israel intercepted the flotilla in international waters, disabling the ships and detaining participants for six days before deporting them to their respective countries. During this time, detainees were subjected to physical and psychological abuse, including torture and sexual violence.
- Nazeeha Saeed
The most recent mission involved 428 participants from over 40 countries, carrying food, medicine and stationery needed in the absence of education and schools, to Gaza aboard more than 50 vessels of various sizes and nationalities. Israel intercepted the flotilla in international waters, disabling the ships and detaining participants for six days before deporting them to their respective countries. During this time, detainees were subjected to physical and psychological abuse, including torture and sexual violence.
Dina Ahmed, a medical professional from Bahrain who participated in the flotilla, noted Israel's horrific treatment of her and her colleagues. "I feel a lump in my throat. My heart remains deeply attached and I feel something was left unfinished," she explained. Yet the encounter left her feeling stronger, especially given the horrific experiences of Palestinians in Gaza under Israel's genocide.
Like her colleagues, Dina was subjected to mistreatment. She was forced to kneel for extended periods and underwent strip searches. Weapons were constantly pointed at the activists' heads. Guards tossed bread and water at them, as if they were "animals." Participants were interrogated about alleged ties to Hamas and Fatah. Interrogators demanded to know who had paid them to undertake their mission. They were shackled at the wrists and ankles with iron cuffs, preventing them from moving, using the restroom or sleeping. Israeli troops denied everyone medical care.
What, then, did the flotilla achieve in this mission? Why do hundreds of volunteers continue to participate despite the risks?
The awareness raising component certainly worked. Abu Keshek said the flotilla contributed to a 20% increase in mainstream media coverage of the Palestinian cause, prompting numerous resolutions from international governments and politicians condemning Israeli crimes. Most importantly, it returned Palestine to the forefront of international politics.
"Palestine is our central cause; the cause of every free and honorable person on earth," Dina explained. "International organizations have failed to deter this brutal Zionist occupation, which has tormented, killed and imposed an unjust blockade on our people in Gaza." She added that participants fully understood and accepted the risks surrounding the journey. What drove her to participate was "the refusal to remain behind screens [as] passive witnesses failing to come to the aid of our brothers and sisters."
Jihane Haj-Mubarak, a French-Tunisian information systems professional, shared this sentiment. When asked why she joined the flotilla, she said that the daily suffering of Palestinians in Gaza far outweighs any risks they might face. "This mission allows us to tell the people of Gaza: 'You are not alone," she said. "We stand with you."
Haj-Mubarak was moved by the reality on the ground, which she described as catastrophic. "The sick are deprived of basic healthcare and cannot travel abroad for treatment, dying instead from a lack of medicine and doctors," she said, noting how the blockade and ongoing Israeli strikes "strangle" Palestinians in Gaza. Faced with this reality, amidst government inaction, disregard for international law and total impunity, "I could not remain silent. I could not stand idly by while watching this humanitarian catastrophe unfold," she concluded.
Last October, the International Court of Justice, the United Nations' principal judicial organ, affirmed that Israel's occupation of Palestine constitutes a violation of international law, ordering states not to take actions supportive of that occupation. It also ruled that Israel, as an occupying state, is obligated to support the local population, including by providing essential supplies for daily life like food, water, shelter and medicine. Israel cannot forcibly transfer Palestinians from their land, nor can it annex that land.
Like her colleagues, Dina was subjected to mistreatment. She was forced to kneel for extended periods and underwent strip searches. Weapons were constantly pointed at the activists' heads. Guards tossed bread and water at them, as if they were "animals."
- Nazeeha Saeed
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres similarly emphasized on Oct. 22, 2025, the fundamental obligations incumbent upon Israel under international law, stating: "When supplies are insufficient for the population, as is the case in Gaza, Israel is obligated to approve and facilitate neutral relief plans, including those provided by the United Nations, and must not obstruct such plans."
Israel is accused of genocide and other war crimes, and many officials are the subject of arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Despite these developments, the illegal blockade continues.
Leading human rights organizations like Amnesty International have accused Israel of sweeping war crimes in Gaza as well. The outrage over Israel's impunity extends to many international organizations, politicians and academics around the world, who have expressed concerns about the level and severity of Israel's impunity.
According to Abu Keshek, "The flotilla represents the stance of civil society in the face of complicity. While Israel and its complicit allies claim a ceasefire exists, Israel itself has killed over 850 people and violated the agreement more than 2,500 times." That death toll now exceeds 1,200.
He noted Israel's new death penalty for Palestinians accused of terrorism, which can include actions as simple as a child throwing a rock. He equally condemned the ceasefire's role in shifting media attention from Israel's ongoing war crimes.
Addressing the issue of impunity, Haj Mubarak added: "War crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide in Gaza, repeated ceasefire violations in Lebanon and war on Iran; all of this occurs with complete and deliberate disregard for international law." The failure of Western states to adequately change their policies, remaining passive and complicit, serves as a driver for the flotillas.
This impunity is precisely what constitutes the danger to not only Palestine, but the broader region and the flotilla missions. For Haj Mubarak, what was allowed to happen in Gaza paved the way for expanded violence in Lebanon, which evolved into a broader regional war on Iran. She then added, "And what about tomorrow? The law of the jungle has replaced international law."
Following Israel's interception of the flotilla and the release of the volunteers, organizers are already looking ahead. Abu Keshek said their immediate priorities are continued mobilization, caring for and supporting the volunteers in their recovery and conducting an intensive internal review to identify lessons learned.
He said that future efforts must strengthen communication and cooperation with other solidarity organizations, as collective action is a powerful force. Flotilla organizers must also plan and execute diverse global mobilization campaigns in the future that are strategic and targeted at Western complicity in genocide and the war industry supporting it. "We will continue to move forward in this international struggle with steady steps, and we will never abandon this just cause," Abu Keshek concluded.
"We stand united with Palestine and with all oppressed peoples."
The views and positions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of DAWN.
