Libyan Ship Joins Global Flotilla to Break Gaza Siege
(MENAFN) The Libyan vessel Omar al-Mukhtar embarked on its journey Sunday to join the Global Sumud Flotilla, an international effort to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip. The ship has been outfitted with a fully equipped intensive care unit to deliver critical medical services to the flotilla, officials said.
The departure follows a delay on Wednesday when the vessel could not set sail due to adverse weather conditions, according to the ship’s spokesperson, Nabil al-Soukni, who spoke to media.
“We are now fully ready with all our equipment, and we increased the storage of supplies for some of the smaller boats that had been understocked due to their size,” al-Soukni stated. He also noted that the ship has allocated space to activists from other boats deemed unfit to reach Gaza.
The Omar al-Mukhtar is carrying essential aid including tents for displaced Palestinians, medicines, baby formula, and a variety of supplies intended for all age groups within the enclave, al-Soukni said.
“The popular and moral support we received from some parties in Libya was a strong message to raise the morale of the crew aboard the Omar al-Mukhtar,” he added.
Among the prominent passengers is former Libyan Prime Minister Omar al-Hassi, along with several international activists, the spokesperson confirmed.
Abdel Rahman Humaid, the medical officer on the Omar al-Mukhtar, told media that the ship has been reinforced with a medical team and intensive care facilities to support the flotilla’s humanitarian mission.
“We equipped the ship with the necessary equipment and medicines and outfitted it with everything required for intensive care,” Humaid said.
This deployment is part of a broader campaign, with dozens of vessels setting sail from North African and European ports aiming to reach Gaza. The Global Sumud Flotilla is the largest such attempt to challenge the nearly two-decade Israeli blockade that restricts access to Gaza, home to 2.4 million Palestinians.
On September 16, the International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza announced plans for the flotilla’s ships to convene near Malta before proceeding together across the Mediterranean toward Gaza’s shores, though a specific departure date remains unconfirmed.
Israel has a history of intercepting Gaza-bound ships, confiscating vessels and deporting passengers.
Meanwhile, UN investigators have recently determined that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, where nearly 65,300 people have been killed since October 2023.
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