At a press conference in Tunis with the organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese rejected suggestions that the flotilla is merely symbolic. She argued that symbols matter when they embody humanity, and said this mission represents a stand against genocide.

Albanese stressed that the crimes of the Israeli occupation in Gaza meet the definition of genocide. “Genocide is not only the complete extermination of a people,” she explained, “it is also the destruction of a nation, a culture, and a civilisation.” She pointed to the killing of more than twenty thousand Palestinians as evidence of a systematic attempt to erase a people.

She described the flotilla’s participants as courageous men and women who are risking their lives for justice, calling them a source of hope for humanity. The struggle, she added, is not only against Israel itself but also against a wider international system that shields it and enables its crimes to continue.

Albanese reminded the world that genocides have taken place before while many remained silent, but stressed that this time people are mobilising across borders to resist. The Global Sumud Flotilla, she said, reflects this awakening, showing that ordinary citizens refuse to stay silent in the face of genocide and siege.

The flotilla has now gathered in Tunisian waters, with ships docked at Sidi Bou Said. Organisers confirmed that the vessels are preparing to depart for Gaza on Wednesday 10 September, carrying vital humanitarian supplies and determined to break the siege imposed by the Israeli occupation.