From Tunisia, Arabs participate in the Steadfastness Flotilla to break the Gaza blockade

The absence of Arab activists from the first phase of the Steadfastness Flotilla, which set sail last week from the Spanish port of Barcelona, ​​created an impression on social media that they were not represented in this movement. However, this impression was inaccurate, as the European nature of the voyage imposed special conditions for participation related to the possession of European passports or visas, which made it difficult for Arab activists to join at that stage.

However, the truth is emerging in Tunisia today, where Habib Bourguiba Avenue in the center of the capital is filled with hundreds of Arab and Muslim solidarity activists preparing to set sail for Gaza. This is a practical message that the Arab peoples are present in the arena of action, and that if given the opportunity, they would sacrifice their lives in defence of Palestine.

A Maghreb initiative expanding globally

Following the Arab Steadfastness Flotilla’s attempt to break the land blockade last June, the Joint Action Coordination for Palestine in Tunisia launched the Maghreb Steadfastness Flotilla initiative in mid-July 2025 under the slogan: “Our sails are towards Gaza, and our goal is to break the blockade.” The initiative brought together activists from the International Committee for Breaking the Siege in Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Mauritania, with the goal of forming a popular maritime movement carrying humanitarian aid and breaking the blockade imposed on more than two million Palestinians.

The idea quickly evolved into an international coalition that included, in addition to the Maghreb Flotilla, the Global Gaza Movement, the Malaysian Steadfastness Initiative, and members of the Freedom Flotilla, which has been working to break the naval blockade for more than 15 years.

Tunisian preparations and messages of support

Logistical and technical preparations are underway in Tunisian ports: providing supplies and medical equipment, maintaining ships, and conducting training to deal with potential arrests or attacks by the occupation. These efforts are being led by Tunisian volunteers and civil society organisations, with support from the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) and independent figures, and with the participation of activists from North Africa and Gulf states such as Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain. The Tunisian capital has witnessed widespread demonstrations and solidarity tents in support of this movement, while the UGTT asserted that the initiative represents “the conscience of the nation in the face of injustice.”

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Broad Arab and Islamic participation

The Maghreb delegation includes approximately 120 participants from Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Mauritania. Delegations from Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Yemen, Iraq, Sudan, and Qatar are also participating, including doctors, lawyers, parliamentarians, and media professionals.

Turkey is attending with a large delegation, including four opposition members of parliament. A large Malaysian delegation of activists from the Malaysian Coalition in Support of Palestine is also participating, accompanied by doctors and journalists, as well as activists from Indonesia, Pakistan, Senegal, and South Africa. This reflects the growing scope of Islamic and humanitarian solidarity with Gaza.

At the international level, the flotilla includes more than 300 activists from 44 countries, including parliamentarians, trade unionists, and representatives of humanitarian organisations from Europe, the Americas, and Australia. Their ships set sail from Barcelona in late August.

The participation of this large number of people from different countries and communities confirms that the flotilla is not merely an aid convoy, but rather a powerful humanitarian message against the international community’s silence on the crime of the blockade and the war of genocide in Gaza.

A humanitarian message in the face of silence

Tunisian civil society organisations are playing a pivotal role in providing the logistical and human resources necessary for the success of this movement, reflecting the vitality of the local community and its willingness to embrace solidarity initiatives.

Departure from Tunisia

The first ships of the flotilla which had set sail from Barcelona on 31 August will be joined by Tunisian and Arab ships on 7 September and continue their attempt to open a humanitarian sea corridor to Gaza and break the Israeli naval blockade. Today, Arab activists stand alongside the free people of the world in the face of the blockade, carrying with them not only humanitarian aid but also messages of hope and steadfastness. The Steadfastness Flotilla from Tunisia to Gaza embodies the unity of free peoples around a just humanitarian cause. Their affirmation is that Gaza is not alone, and that the blockade is not an eternal fate, but a wall that will be torn down in the face of the will of the people.

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