In Johannesburg, South Africa, and Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, international activists who are scheduled to provide relief to Gaza have discussed an even bigger fleet this time, increasing the number of ships to more than 100, along with almost 1,000 expected medical workers to join the journey.
This is in the wake of the blockade of the approximately 40 ships that comprised the Global Resilience Flotilla last October, which was intended to bring supplies to the Gaza Strip but was barred by the Israeli government, resulting in the jailing of over 450 activists, including the Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Wednesday saw organizers meet at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in South Africa to unveil their plans for the new mission. Mandla Mandela, Mandela’s grandson and detainee of the earlier flotilla, addressed reporters as they made their announcement. He claimed that the new mission was part of an attempt to attain justice and human dignity and urged all nations across the globe to take part. “Even if the flotilla is stopped again, it will still send a strong message of solidarity with the people of Gaza,” he said.
Israeli officials have traditionally referred to the activities of the flotillas as symbolic and emphasized that there is no attempt on their part to prevent the delivery of the much-needed aids to Gaza. However, the Palestinian government and other international agencies involved in the delivery of aid have argued that the aids are still insufficient.
Despite the ceasefire declared in October 2025, the Israeli military still maintains control over more than half of the Gaza Strip, ordering the evacuation of some areas. The people of Gaza are still living in a small strip of coastline, mostly residing in temporary housing structures.
The flotilla is arriving at a time of increasing levels of violence in the West Bank, where the United Nations reports a sharp escalation of attacks against Palestinians from Israeli settlers. In just January of this year, a record 700 Palestinians were displaced from their homes, which is the highest number of Palestinians displaced since October 2023. Agencies report that the Palestinians are being intimidated, threatened, and attacked by the settlers, together with the Israeli military.
Organizers of the flotilla claim that this mission will be bigger and better organized than any previous one, aiming to deliver relief to those in need and bring attention to the humanitarian crisis going on. When notable individuals, like Mandla Mandela, lend their support, it will hopefully capture the attention of the entire world and bring support for the citizens of Gaza.
Additionally, the scheduled mission for 2026 is a reminder of the suffering the citizens in Gaza and the surrounding regions are going through, underlining the demand for the required aid and the complex geopolitical landscape in that area.
