Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) leader Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, grandson of late South African President Nelson Mandela, has praised Türkiye for sending urgently needed humanitarian aid to Gaza and urged the world to join the international initiative to break the blockade.
In a statement issued Monday, Mandela expressed “heartfelt gratitude” to the people of Türkiye, the government and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) for their latest consignment of aid. A Turkish ship carrying humanitarian and emergency relief arrived earlier in the day to join the GSF, which Mandela described as “the largest initiative of its kind in modern maritime history.”
“We welcome this humanitarian and philanthropic contribution and encourage others to follow suit as the GSF is firmly on its way to break the blockade, end the siege, deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to the starving and suffering people of Gaza and stop the genocide,” Mandela said.
Mandela, who on Sept. 14 joined the flotilla from Tunisia, underscored that the campaign symbolizes the determination of “freedom-loving people all over the world who stand as one.” He stressed that the voices of millions are echoing in solidarity with Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, where the humanitarian situation remains dire under Israeli siege.
“Our message to the people of Gaza is loud and clear: we will deliver humanitarian aid and stop the genocide,” he declared, adding that activists “will not be stopped” and “will not be silenced.”
Mandela also directly called on Israel to halt its policies, saying: “We say to the Zionist occupation entity: stop the genocide! Stop the occupation! Stop the deliberate starvation!”
The Global Sumud Flotilla, a coalition of international activists and organizations, has emerged as a symbol of resistance against the blockade, drawing comparisons to earlier historic maritime efforts to break Israel’s siege. Mandela said the movement demonstrates that the Palestinian cause continues to unite people across continents.
