Is Egypt blocking its own Sumud Flotilla from sailing to Gaza?
Is Egypt blocking its own Sumud Flotilla from sailing to Gaza?
Egyptian Sumud Flotilla campaigners told Middle East Eye that authorities have yet to green-light their mission to break the Gaza siege.
Hundreds of activists in Egypt are racing against time to align their “Egyptian Sumud Flotilla” with the “Global Sumud Flotilla”, a civil society initiative which seeks to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza and deliver aid and relief to distressed Palestinians in the strip.
The global flotilla is carrying participants from 44 different countries, among them Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, setting sail from Spain, Italy, Tunisia and Greece. It represents the largest maritime aid mission bound for the territory since Israel launched its onslaught against the enclave in October 2023.
Dispatching aid by sea to Gaza from Egypt may seem counterintuitive, as Egypt is the only Arab country that shares a land border and has crossings with the Gaza Strip. Egyptian authorities, however, blame Israel for the blockade, insisting that Israel maintains de facto control over the movement of individuals and aid to and from Gaza.
More than 1,200 people have registered to participate in the flotilla via an online form, including 29 marine assistants, 24 captains, 150 journalists, 152 medics, 300 doctors and 54 lawyers.
Last week, the campaign said that a boat called Ibiza would be the first to set sail from Suez, one of five vessels originally planned to join the mission. But a few days later, it announced that it lost contact with the owner.
“This interruption occurred after the committee published photos and details related to the boat’s name, details which had been approved for publication by the person himself during a meeting with members of the Committee, where he confirmed that he had no objection to sharing this information and these photos,” a statement read.
'So far, none has responded. We are still waiting for clearance from the coastguard and border forces'
- Egyptian Sumud Flotilla spokesperson
“As a result of this loss of contact, the Steering Committee proceeded to the city of Suez and met with a former MP from the city in an effort to reach the person responsible for the boat, to check on his well-being, and to resolve the matter of the contract between the fleet and the boat. The committee hopes that he is safe and has not been harmed in any way.”
Meanwhile, the local media outlet Al Manassa reported that Ibiza's owner pulled out of the initiative after receiving “threats and security pressure”.
On Friday, Sumud Flotilla spokesperson Hossam Mahmoud told MEE that the voyage is set to begin by Sunday, pending approval from the authorities.
But he warned of possible delays, citing shifting schedules in Greek waters and repeated Israeli attempts to intimidate the ships.
“We are following up with fellow activists on board the global flotilla and coordinating with them around the clock. But there is no official clearance yet from the Egyptian authorities,” Mahmoud said.
The activists have so far reached out to the cabinet, the presidency, as well as the foreign, transport, and interior ministries, and to the authorities at the ports of Damietta and Alexandria.
“So far, none has responded. We are still waiting for clearance from the coastguard and border forces,” he told MEE. “We hope to finalise procedures in the coming days with the concerned bodies, including the coastguard and border guards.”
Earlier this month, the group called off a press conference after organisers reportedly received security threats.
The initiative, involving volunteers from across the country, aims to dispatch boats loaded with medical supplies, food, and humanitarian aid to Gaza. Though mostly symbolic, the organisers stress the mission also carries political weight: it signals that while diplomatic efforts stall, ordinary Egyptians can turn public solidarity into action.
'Valuable bid'
Former presidential hopeful and prominent opposition figure Ahmed Tantawy described it as “a valuable bid to be added to national initiatives supporting the Palestinian cause".
Tantawy, who has joined forces with the initiative, urged political parties - whether supportive of the authorities or in opposition - to treat it as “a cause that transcends divides”.
“It is an attempt to stand up against the ongoing ordeal of the Palestinians of Gaza, which has been unfolding for two years and aims to liquidate the cause,” he told MEE.
'It's an attempt to stand up against the ongoing ordeal of the Palestinians of Gaza, which has been unfolding for two years and aims to liquidate the cause'
- Ahmed Tantawy, Egyptian politician
To date, about 4 tonnes of in-kind aid have been donated. Volunteers are currently sorting and packaging the assistance. If a sea voyage proves impossible, the plan is to hand the supplies to the Egyptian Red Crescent in Arish or Ismailia cities for onward delivery to Gaza. The group recently announced it no longer has the capacity to receive extra donations.
Many contributions have been received from ordinary donors: elderly citizens offering part of their monthly medication quota and women donating food and medicines from their own stocks.
Twelve sizeable boats are ready to sail, but all await final licensing. Although the organisers initially rejected monetary donations to avoid overdependence on cash, they are reconsidering that stance to allow the purchase of additional vessels if required.
Despite being an explicitly volunteer-driven campaign, the Egyptian flotilla has drawn considerable media attention.
Over 150 journalists have signed up to join or cover their endeavour. Nonetheless, the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate has remained publicly silent, neither endorsing nor condemning the initiative, a stance Mahmoud finds surprising given that some members are already involved in preparations.
The initiative has also formally addressed Al-Azhar Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb and Pope Tawadros II. Neither of the two figures had responded to the appeals of the activists by the time of publication
Official silence
The Global Sumud Flotilla is a civil society coalition bringing together activists, medical professionals, lawyers, seafarers, artists and journalists under a shared nonviolent goal: to challenge the maritime blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid beyond restrictive land crossings. Organisers present it as a coordinated civilian initiative rather than a state project.
The campaign unites previous efforts, including the Maghreb Sumud Flotilla in North Africa, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Global Movement to Gaza, and Sumud Nusantara in Southeast Asia, under one umbrella. Its aim is to establish a maritime corridor into Gaza by bypassing overland routes, which organisers argue are often delayed, blocked, or tightly controlled by Israeli and allied security protocols.
In Egypt, however, state bodies appear wary. The government has not issued any formal stance regarding the flotilla, further complicating efforts to secure clearance.
The obstacles confronting the Egyptian flotilla are considerable. Beyond bureaucratic inaction, organisers worry that Israeli interference could prevent the voyage altogether. The global flotilla has already faced delays due to security incidents and harassment in international waters. The Egyptian group anticipates possible last-minute refusals or intensified scrutiny.
If the flotilla fails to set sail, many activists see the fallback option of delivering aid overland through the Egyptian Red Crescent as a less powerful gesture - not for lack of humanitarian value, but because it does not carry the symbolic disruption the sea voyage represents.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian Sumud Flotilla has drawn praise from some corners of political life.
“Future generations will judge nations by whether they acted to defend fair causes, especially when faced with oppression and injustice,” Tantawy said.
“The Palestinian cause must not become hostage to internal political rivalries, and that parties claiming to represent the people must back their words with solidarity in practice.”
