French actress Adèle Haenel announced on Friday, 5 September, that she will join the "Global Sumud" flotilla departing from Tunis to deliver aid to Gaza, aiming to send a message that humanity has not abandoned the besieged population.

“I have decided to board one of the humanitarian mission ships of the Global Sumud Flotilla at this dramatic moment in history,” Haenel said. The convoy from Tunisia is scheduled to set sail on Sunday, after delays caused by weather and coordination with the flotilla departing from Barcelona. Haenel emphasised that the mission’s goal is to bring food and medical supplies to Gaza, where residents face a famine deliberately orchestrated by the Israeli government.

Arriving in Tunis on Sunday evening, Haenel took part in two days of preparatory training for the operation. Among the flotilla participants are activists from around the world, including Swedish environmentalist Greta Thunberg, European elected officials, and public figures. More than a hundred people are expected to depart from Tunisia.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, “sumud” meaning “resilience” in Arabic, aims to reach Gaza by mid-September, following two previous attempts blocked by Israel in June and July. The humanitarian mission comes amid a devastating conflict that began with the unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israeli territory in October 2023. The United Nations declared a state of famine in Gaza in August, warning that 500,000 people face “catastrophic” conditions.