EMERGENCY JOINS THE GLOBAL SUMUD FLOTILLA WITH SEARCH AND RESCUE SHIP LIFE SUPPORT

EMERGENCY will join the Global Sumud Flotilla en route to Gaza with its search and rescue ship Life Support, to act as an observer and provide medical and logistical support to the participating vessels.

The ship will set sail from Catania, together with the vessels that are part of the Italian delegation.

“What is happening in Gaza is unacceptable,” comments EMERGENCY. “Our staff, who work in two health clinics in the Khan Younis governorate, report an extremely grave situation.”

While the Israeli army relentlessly bombs the civilian population, already worn down by continuous evacuation orders, the aid that is required to provide minimal assistance to the population has been blocked for five months.

In addition to suffering continuous bombing and evacuations, at least 500,000 people are facing catastrophic food insecurity. The United Nations has already declared a state of famine in the Gaza governorate and warned of the risk of it spreading to neighbouring territories.

While our governments have been unable to take measures to stop a situation that is deteriorating day by day, citizens are not resigned to standing by and watching.

For this reason, EMERGENCY’s ship Life Support will set sail alongside the Global Sumud Flotilla, a non-violent maritime mission composed of delegations from 44 different countries with the aim of bringing aid into the Strip, opening a humanitarian corridor by sea, and denouncing the inaction of governments and institutions.

The boats participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla are not only carrying humanitarian aid, but also an unequivocal message: when a government blocks humanitarian aid, committing a war crime, people have the right and duty to take direct non-violent action.

Life Support has just completed its 36th search and rescue mission in the central Mediterranean Sea. Since December 2022, Life Support has rescued a total of 3,001 people.