KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 24 flotilla ships from the Port of Barcelona, Spain, departed for Gaza on Sunday (Aug 31), carrying humanitarian messages and essential aid, on a mission involving more than 1,000 international participants from 44 countries, including 15 representatives from Malaysia.
In a statement, the Sumud Nusantara Secretariat announced that the Malaysian delegation, led by Cinta Gaza Malaysia, Mapim Malaysia and Cinta Salam Malaysia, together with their NGO partners, joined the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) mission to call for the opening of humanitarian aid routes and an immediate end to the attacks on Gaza.
Mapim Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Sani Araby, also the Malaysian Chef de Mission for GSF, said Malaysia's participation reflects the country's genuine commitment to the humanitarian cause.
"The international community warmly welcomed the Malaysian delegation as the Jalur Gemilang flew proudly in Barcelona.
"This flotilla mission is proof that the world is taking action, not just talking. Malaysia is respected for its courage, with the Prime Minister serving as patron of the Sumud Nusantara Movement and taking firm action at the international level," he said in the statement.
Meanwhile, Sumud Nusantara director-general Nadir Al-Nuri, who is also a GSF Main Committee member, emphasised that the flotilla represents part of a global movement rejecting the siege on Gaza.
"From Barcelona to Kuala Lumpur, from Southeast Asia to the rest of the world, we must unite to demand the same rights. Stop the famine immediately, end the war in Gaza, and open the Rafah humanitarian corridor," he said.
Nadir, who is also CEO of Cinta Gaza Malaysia, added that it is time for Malaysians and the international community to rise at all levels to provide support and exert pressure on the Zionist regime.
According to the statement, the next phase of the mission would see a second group of 15 Malaysian delegates depart from an Italian port on Sept 4, joining other international participants. Meanwhile, a third Malaysian group was currently in Tunisia, preparing to join the effort.
The GSF unites an international coalition from Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, with all delegations committed to the principle of non-violence and using the flotilla as a symbol of global solidarity for the people of Gaza. – Bernama
