Global Convoy to Gaza: Thousands March to Break the Siege and Deliver Aid

 

In one of the largest grassroots humanitarian efforts in recent memory, thousands of activists from over 50 countries have mobilized in a land convoy to Gaza, aiming to deliver critical aid and demand an end to Israel’s blockade.

 Known as the Soumoud Convoy—Arabic for “steadfastness”—the initiative began on June 9 in Tunisia and has since crossed into Libya, with plans to reach Egypt’s Rafah border crossing by mid-June.

The convoy includes more than 1,200 participants traveling in buses and private vehicles loaded with food, medical supplies, and banners of solidarity. Organized by a coalition of labor unions, human rights groups, and civil society organizations, the mission is both logistical and symbolic:

 to break the silence surrounding Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe and reignite international pressure on Israel and Egypt to open the border.

The timing is urgent. Since the outbreak of war in October 2023, Gaza has been under near-total siege. Over 37,000 Palestinians have been killed, and more than 500,000 face catastrophic food insecurity. 

The Rafah crossing—Gaza’s main gateway to the outside world—has remained largely sealed, with only limited evacuations permitted. Aid agencies warn that famine is imminent.

The convoy’s journey has been met with both support and resistance. In Libya, local authorities provided security escorts and logistical help, but the group was later blocked near Sirte by forces loyal to General Khalifa Haftar. 

Organizers say they were surrounded, communications were cut, and several participants were arrested. On June 16, the convoy was officially canceled after being denied passage to Egypt, though many participants vowed to continue their advocacy from wherever they could.

Despite the setback, the convoy has already made waves. Its scale and determination have drawn comparisons to the 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla and have inspired similar efforts, including a Lebanese-led “Dignity Convoy” and the recently intercepted maritime mission Madleen, which carried activists like Greta Thunberg.

Organizers stress that the Soumoud Convoy is a civilian, nonpartisan effort grounded in humanitarian principles. “This is not an endorsement of any faction,” one spokesperson said. “It is an endorsement of life.”