A march for humanity: Global citizens confront Gaza’s isolation - By Michael Jansen, The Jordan Times

Last Update
12-Jun-2025
Tweet

Since governments have failed to sanction Israel for its 20-month siege, bombing and blockade of Gaza, individuals and groups from around the world are organising to enter Gaza or demand action from the UN and governments with influence with Israel. Today several thousand volunteers will assemble in Cairo ahead of a march to Gaza on the 15th. Participants will travel by bus to El-Arish in Sinai from where they will walk 48 kms over three days to the Egyptian sector of the divided town of Rafah with the aim of reaching the devastated and largely uninhabited Gaza side of town which is under hostile Israeli occupation. The south has become home to 70 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinians who have been evicted from their homes elsewhere and driven to coastal al-Mawasi in Rafah district or to camps around Khan Younis city in the district of that name.

The March movement is demanding an "open corridor” for the delivery if aid to Gaza, “an end to the genocide, [and] global accountability.” Among the eminent persons supporting the march is the grandson of South Africa’s freedom fighter and president Nelson Mandela. Marchers come from Jordan, Ireland, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Austria Belgium, Mexico, US, France, Finland, France, Germany, Algeria, India, Germany Japan, Italy, Holland, Norway, Poland, Pakistan, and many other countries. This shows that the horror and privations of Gazans are on people's mind.

The Gaza march could swell to many thousands if a bus and car convoy expected to enlist seven thousand arrives in time to join the march. The bus and car caravan set out from Algeria on Monday, pass through Tunisia and pick up volunteers before carrying on though Libya to reach Egypt. The organisation involved is the Coordinating Committee for Joint Action for Palestine in Tunisia. The convoy will include diplomats, political figures, rights activists, doctors, and lawyers. Activists from Mauritania and Morocco have also joined. This convoy marks an important shift in popular opinion in North Africa which has not been deeply moved and energised by the situation on Gaza as have people in the Eastern Arab world.

Israel’s resolve to maintain its maritime blockade of Gaza was tested on Monday by Freedom Flotilla Coalition ship Madleen transporting activists, baby formula, rice and flour to the strip. There has been only a trickle of humanitarian supplies since March 2nd when Israel reimposed its blockade. On board the Madleen were Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, French-Palestinian European parliament member Rima Hassan, an Al-Jazeera journalist, and French, German, Brazilian, Spanish, Turkish and Dutch activists. On board the Madleen were Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, French-Palestinian European parliament member Rima Hassan, an Al-Jazeera journalist, and French, German, Brazilian, Spanish, Turkish and Dutch activists.

While it was reported that Israeli might allow the Madleen to reach Gaza, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the army to block the high-profile media savvy mission. He said, “The State of Israel will not allow anyone to violate the naval blockade on Gaza, the primary purpose of which is to prevent the transfer of weapons to Hamas, a murderous terror organization that holds our hostages and commits war crimes.” Another coalition ship, the Conscience, was struck by drone fire on route to Gaza in early May. Israel was blamed for the attack.

Israeli naval boats and drones took control of the Madleen two hours after midnight on Monday and forced it to sail into Ashdod port where its crew was detained ahead of deportation to their home countries. Israel’s foreign ministry posted a video on X showing the arrested activists and saying, “The show is over.”

Israel was correct in calling the voyage of the Madleen a “show.” The Madleen showed the world, once again, that Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been imprisoned in 20 per cent of the narrow strip. Since they depend on existential imports, they have been starved of food and medical supplies, particularly during the past three months. The world should not need re-minding, since October 7, 2023, the ordeal of Gazans has been carried live stream on international satellite television channels.

Freedom Flotilla organiser and rights lawyer Huwaida Arraf stated, “This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the [International Court of Justice] ruling ...requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza. These volunteers are not subject to Israeli jurisdiction and cannot be criminalised for delivering aid or challenging an illegal blockade – their detention [was] arbitrary, [and] unlawful.” Arraf is a veteran US activist of Palestinian parentage who co-founded with Adam Shapiro and others the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in 2001 to monitor human rights violations in Israeli occupied Palestinian territory. The ISM was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 and 2004.

Latest News

Most Read Articles