‘Thousand Ship Flotilla’ announced to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza

A coalition of Malaysian civil society organisations has announced an ambitious campaign to launch a “Thousand Ship Flotilla” to break Israel’s 17-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, in what is being described as the largest maritime mobilisation of its kind.

The initiative, led by the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations (MAPIM), aims to send vessels from across the globe carrying humanitarian aid to the besieged Palestinian enclave, in defiance of Israel’s naval embargo. Organisers say the flotilla will be “larger and more organised” than the 2010 Freedom Flotilla, which ended with the killing of ten activists by Israeli forces aboard the Mavi Marmara.

Speaking at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, MAPIM president Azmi Abdul Hamid said the campaign was a direct response to Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. “We cannot remain silent while entire families are being wiped out and starvation is used as a weapon,” he said, adding that “the global community must act when international institutions fail.”

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Coordination for the flotilla is already underway with grassroots groups and NGOs in Europe, Latin America and Asia, Abdul Hamid confirmed. The campaign has reportedly received “unprecedented support” since the Israeli military’s recent seizure of the Madleen, a civilian aid ship attempting to reach Gaza. Although that mission was thwarted, activists argue it helped galvanise international attention on the ongoing siege.

A joint statement endorsed by dozens of Malaysian organisations outlined the flotilla’s goals: to break the illegal Israeli blockade, facilitate the delivery of urgent humanitarian supplies, and pressure world governments to protect participants and hold Israel accountable for its war crimes.

MAPIM also announced the formation of an international secretariat and a dedicated financial fund to support vessel procurement, logistics and public mobilisation. The council has called on humanitarian organisations, companies and individuals worldwide to contribute expertise, equipment and resources.

The flotilla initiative comes amid widespread frustration with the failure of international bodies to stop the mass killing in Gaza. With more than 55,000 Palestinians—mainly women and children—killed since October 2023, the blockade has become a symbol of global inaction.

Abdul Hamid said the flotilla campaign was intended as a form of direct action rooted in international solidarity, stressing that the world must not remain passive in the face of escalating massacres.