A massive land convoy of activists, humanitarian volunteers, and civil society leaders is currently making its way from Tunisia toward the Gaza Strip, in what has become one of the most visible acts of global solidarity with Palestinians since the latest war began. Known as the 바카라śSoumoud Convoy바카라ť바카라”Arabic for 바카라śsteadfastness바카라ť바카라”this transnational effort aims to deliver not just material aid, but a potent message of resistance against the ongoing siege of Gaza.
The convoy set off on June 9 from Tunisia, where a coalition of labour unions, human rights organisations, lawyers' associations, and student groups gathered to launch the initiative. According to reporting by the Associated Press, the convoy includes more than 1,200 participants from over 50 countries, and is composed of buses and private vehicles carrying medical supplies, food parcels, and solidarity banners. The convoy travelled through southern Tunisia and has already crossed Libya, with stops in Tripoli, Misrata, and Benghazi.
Organisers have emphasised that the real goal of the convoy is not only to deliver aid, but to reignite international pressure on Israel and Egypt to open the Rafah border crossing, Gaza바카라™s main lifeline to the outside world. 바카라śThis is a march of conscience,바카라ť said Tunisian journalist and convoy participant Ghaya Ben Mbarek, in remarks published by the AP. 바카라śWe cannot remain idle while children starve and Gaza is turned into a graveyard.바카라ť
The journey comes at a time when the humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached a new level of desperation. Since October 2023, when Hamas militants launched a deadly attack on southern Israel and triggered a massive Israeli military response, Gaza has been subjected to a near-total siege. According to Reuters, more than 37,000 Palestinians have been killed so far, with tens of thousands more injured, and nearly all of Gaza바카라™s 2.3 million residents displaced or affected by the conflict.
The Rafah border crossing, Gaza바카라™s main passage into Egypt, has been closed for most of the past year. Egypt has allowed very limited movement of injured persons and dual nationals, but has so far resisted calls to fully open the crossing for humanitarian deliveries. Meanwhile, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and other international agencies have repeatedly warned that Gaza is on the brink of famine. As of early June, UN OCHA estimates indicated that over 500,000 people in Gaza face catastrophic levels of food insecurity.
Against this backdrop, the Soumoud Convoy has gained visibility not only for its scale but for its symbolism. Many of its organisers and participants see the initiative as part of a larger movement to reclaim humanitarian solidarity from political paralysis. In an interview with the Press Trust of India (PTI), an Algerian activist said, 바카라śOur demands are simple: Let the aid in. Let the people breathe. Let humanity be the guide, not politics.바카라ť
The convoy바카라™s progress has been smooth so far, with logistical support from local authorities in Libya, according to PTI. The group is currently in eastern Libya, preparing to enter Egypt through the Sallum border post. The final goal is to reach the Rafah crossing in mid-June, where the convoy hopes to stage a peaceful demonstration and, if allowed, deliver aid directly to Gaza.
Although the convoy does not expect to break through the border on its own, organisers believe the action will generate international pressure and renew calls for an end to the siege. Some participants have drawn inspiration from the Freedom Flotilla, a maritime mission that aimed to reach Gaza by sea but was intercepted by Israeli forces in early June. That flotilla included high-profile activists like Greta Thunberg and was halted in international waters before being redirected to Israel바카라™s Ashdod port. According to AP and Reuters, many passengers were detained before being deported, prompting widespread condemnation.
These incidents, activists argue, underscore the urgency of land-based missions like the Soumoud Convoy. 바카라śEvery time the sea is blocked, the land must answer,바카라ť said one Moroccan participant in a recorded statement shared by the convoy바카라™s media team. 바카라śThis is not just about trucks. It바카라™s about breaking the silence.바카라ť
Critics of the convoy바카라”including some Israeli officials바카라”argue that such missions risk politicising humanitarian work or could inadvertently support Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. However, convoy leaders insist their effort is entirely civilian, independent, and guided by humanitarian principles. 바카라śThis is not an endorsement of any faction,바카라ť one spokesperson told Reuters. 바카라śIt is an endorsement of life.바카라ť
Meanwhile, alternative aid delivery systems have come under fire. The U.S. and Israel recently created the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private aid mechanism meant to bypass what they view as compromised UN agencies. However, this foundation has faced criticism for its chaotic distribution methods, including deadly stampedes. According to Reuters and Gaza바카라™s health ministry, more than 160 Palestinians have been killed during aid distributions coordinated by the GHF since late May. On June 3 alone, at least 27 people were killed by Israeli gunfire while trying to collect food at a GHF site in Rafah, prompting UN calls for an independent investigation.
UN agencies, including the WFP and UNICEF, have distanced themselves from the GHF, saying aid must be distributed under internationally recognised and impartial channels. For Soumoud Convoy organisers, this is further proof that grassroots, people-led movements must step into the void.
The Egyptian government has not formally approved the convoy바카라™s final leg through Sinai. But discussions are ongoing between organisers and Egyptian civil society groups, and a diplomatic delegation is reportedly seeking third-party mediation. Several European parliamentarians and African Union observers are said to be joining the convoy in Cairo to increase international legitimacy.
If the convoy reaches Rafah by mid-June, it would represent the largest coordinated civilian action for Gaza since the Gaza Freedom March of 2009. Even if the convoy is blocked at the border, its leaders believe they will have succeeded in amplifying Gaza바카라™s humanitarian crisis on the world stage.
바카라śWe will walk to the gate if we must,바카라ť said one of the organisers from Tunisia. 바카라śBecause every day that gate stays shut, another child dies.바카라ť
As the convoy continues its journey through North Africa, the question reverberates far beyond its dusty roads: Will the world listen, not only to the weapons, but to the will of the people?
