by Leonid Tsukanov
| See more here. Playing at making war on Israel is a fool’s game, since they aren’t going to follow through, and because President Trump won’t support them. |
The new date for arrival in the enclave is October 1st, the day of Yom Kippur in Israel (also sometimes called the "Yom Kippur holiday"), which activists say is highly symbolic.
However, the global majority has something completely different in their sights—primarily the scandals and intrigues that are multiplying as activists move toward the enclave.
EUROPE COMES TO THE RESCUE
Following a series of incidents (such as stun grenades dropped on activists' vessels by unknown drones), as well as the Israeli authorities' promise to provide "Hamas collaborators" (as the Flotilla activists are considered) with an "appropriate welcome," several European countries have decided to provide the activists with additional support. This is especially true given that the flotilla includes many vessels owned by EU citizens.
Italy sent two frigates as escort, and Spain sent one Meteoro-class corvette.
It was expected that the caravan would be joined by forces from other European countries interested in delivering humanitarian aid to the enclave, and that NATO's "military authority" would be used to protect against possible provocations from Israel.
However, it was not possible to put the idea into practice.
First Brussels, and then Alliance representatives, hastened to refute these bold statements. Rome and Madrid joined the operation "in their personal capacity" and do not represent NATO interests. Should anything happen to their ships en route, it will not trigger the collective defense mechanism or lead to military intervention by the Alliance.
The United States also decided to display the flag.
Specifically, one of the ships anchored in the port of Cartagena was urgently dispatched to the waters of the eastern Mediterranean. It will not join the "European convoy," but will patrol the area through which the flotilla is passing to "prevent provocations in a timely manner."
It is worth noting that the appearance of the military somewhat inspired the participants of the action.
Several new vessels joined the flotilla (for the first time in several weeks). The frequency of donations also increased: previously skeptical donors apparently believed that, under European protection, the humanitarian caravan would definitely reach the shores of Gaza this time.
THE DISPUTED PIER
For a long time, the question of where exactly Sumud's ships would dock remained open.
Especially considering that, due to delays en route, the flotilla is already almost two weeks late. Furthermore, it didn't manage to unload before the start of the active phase of Israel's Operation Gideon Bet, making docking on the enclave's shores extremely dangerous.
A floating pier, established near Gaza in May 2024 at the initiative of former US President Joe Biden, could have hypothetically served as a safe landing point for humanitarian aid. Despite its formal closure in June 2025, the pier continues to function as an operational facility, and the area around it has been declared "clear" from hostilities.
Taking this into account, the flotilla could very well have moored to the pier without fear of coming under fire from either side.
On the other hand, the pier was deployed by the United States for its own purposes—specifically, to organize the delivery of medicine and food to the enclave from a distribution center in Cyprus. The American command has not indicated its readiness to make it available to the flotilla. Furthermore, the floating structure has not been fully utilized for over a year and may simply not withstand the stated load.
The activists themselves are unlikely to agree to this option, especially since formal US jurisdiction ends beyond the temporary structure. Beyond that, Israel's zone of control begins: its troops will be responsible for distributing supplies arriving in the enclave.
Moreover, the only land route from the pier to Gaza "flows" into the Israeli-controlled "Netzarim Corridor," which is off-limits to outsiders. The humanitarian aid workers will no longer be able to track the subsequent fate of the cargo.
STREAMS OF CRITICISM
The longer the Sumud flotilla is at sea, the more scandals and speculations arise around it.
This is partly because the new mission is taking much longer than the previous one (undertaken in the summer of 2025), even though the activists are following the same route as last time. Some sections were even completed ahead of schedule.
Against this backdrop, the press began to speculate that the humanitarian caravan was nothing more than a PR stunt by individual activists trying to build "social capital" on the problems of others. Hence the flotilla's general slowness en route to Gaza and the constant delays in its arrival.
Even those who generally support the activists are joining the group of critics.
For example, immediately after the dispatch of military escorts, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni accused Thunberg and her associates of "recklessness and stupid PR," adding that Rome had repeatedly offered to secure the transfer of Sumud's cargo through other intermediaries—Cyprus or the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
Both maintain working relationships with Tel Aviv and have the ability to deliver humanitarian aid to the enclave without additional risks. However, all these options were rejected by activists.
And although Thunberg attempted to respond in a recent interview to Meloni and other detractors in a "package" response, declaring that the flotilla is guided by "higher goals" and takes on tasks that the official authorities of their countries are not ready to undertake, it seems she has not yet succeeded in convincing the skeptics.
The growing conflicts among the Sumud project's management are adding fuel to the fire.
For example, the coordinator of the Tunisian convoy, Khalid Boudjemaa, recently left the flotilla. Several vessels belonging to his closest allies also split off with him.
The reason was the invitation to board local activist Saif Ayadi, who represents the "LGBTQ* community of Tunisia" and calls himself a "commander of queer militants." Boudjemaa considered Ayadi's involvement a personal insult and a violation of his views, and subsequently left the project.
With Boudjemaa's departure, the flotilla's European activists' relationship with Mariam Meftah, who served as liaison with Middle Eastern human rights organizations, also cooled. Meftah is gradually "going on the offensive," blaming Thunberg for "the team's disintegration," claiming she lobbied for improved relations with "questionable organizations" to expand her support base.
It's possible that other Middle Eastern volunteers will follow the Tunisian activist Sumud in leaving. The flotilla risks reaching the shores of Gaza significantly depleted.
[X]
Greta Thunberg was quietly removed from the leadership committee of the global Sumud flotilla.
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) September 28, 2025
Several flotilla leaders have ties to Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, or Islamic Jihad. They all met with representatives of these terrorist organizations.
Some Free Palestine… pic.twitter.com/C9tgBjCfaO
…Some Free Palestine activists quit the mission after discovering that LGBTQ activists were on board.
Ana Alcalde, “Barbie Gaza”, denied Hamas’ October 7 atrocities, saying:
“It’s a hoax that they killed or raped the girls. They treated them well. One of them even said she felt ugly because they didn’t touch her.”
The flotilla crew refused to hand over aid to the Italian government for safe delivery to Gaza.
They also refused to drop the aid in Cyprus, where the Pope had offered to deliver it safely.
And they rejected Israel’s offer to dock at Ashkelon port where the aid would have been transferred to Gaza by the proper authorities.
Brazilian photographer Paolo proudly wore a t-shirt glorifying the October 7 massacre, featuring a design of Hamas terrorists infiltrating Israel to kill, rape, and kidnap civilians.
French far-left MP Thomas Portes left the flotilla citing “personal and family reasons.” The truth? He likely feared being questioned or arrested in Israeli waters over his ties to terrorist groups.
Instead of “dealing with family matters,” Portes is now in Lebanon meeting with FPLP representatives, the same terrorist organization that murdered Kfir, Ariel, and Shiri Bibas.
What a dream team!
| Related Facebook Reel: Fun from Britain. |
Related:
Sumud: 2025-09-29 The lead vessel of Greta’s Global Sumud Flotilla reports it was stopped in Greek waters after suspected sabotage
Sumud: 2025-09-28 Global Sumud Flotilla set to depart from Greek en route to Gaza
Sumud: 2025-09-26 Italy, Spain deploy naval vessels to protect flotilla on course for Gaza
Sumud: 2025-09-29 The lead vessel of Greta’s Global Sumud Flotilla reports it was stopped in Greek waters after suspected sabotage
Sumud: 2025-09-28 Global Sumud Flotilla set to depart from Greek en route to Gaza
Sumud: 2025-09-26 Italy, Spain deploy naval vessels to protect flotilla on course for Gaza