Ten South Africans are among hundreds of volunteers in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), the largest contingent of maritime vessels aiming to carry humanitarian aid into Gaza. The South African contingent includes former South African President Nelson Mandela’s grandson and former member of parliament Nkosi Zwelivelile “Mandla” Mandela, decolonial scholar Dr. Fatima Hendricks, and humanitarian Elham Mouaffak-Hatfield, as well as award-winning writer and cultural activist Zukiswa Wanner.
In a series of diary entries shared with OkayAfrica, Wanner considers the possibility of a scenario in which the flotilla is attacked by Israel “before we have left and the result is our retreating to dock,” a prediction that now seems justified after two suspected drone attacks on Monday and Tuesday nights. However, the GSF has continued to reiterate its commitment to its mission.
A device that set fire to the deck of the British-flagged boat, Alma, was reportedly dropped from a drone in Tuesday night’s incident. The GSF posted a picture of the burnt object, wrapped in metal plastic, that was said to be dropped from the drone. “Fortunately, it was contained with no structural damage to our boat, with no wounds to our team, and we continue our mission to break the siege of Gaza,” Brazilian activist and flotilla spokesperson Thiago Ávila said.
Following Monday’s incident, Miguel Duarte, an activist on board the Family Boat, said he saw a drone hovering aboard the ship before dropping an incendiary device. All six members on board at the time of the suspected attack are safe, while the vessel suffered some damage. The Family Boat is carrying the steering committee of the GSF, which includes Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, Algerian activist Marouan Ben Guettaia, and many others.
The majority of the boats participating in the flotilla are at the Sidi Bou Said port, off the coast of Tunisia, with plans to collectively head to Gaza on Wednesday, September 10. It remains to be seen how the alleged attack affects the flotilla’s movement amidst the group’s resolve to break the siege on Gaza. “What are the chances that we will make it? 25 percent. And yet, I, the eternal optimist, think that we may make it,” Wanner writes.
The GSF claims that Israel is to blame for the alleged drone strikes, citing its previous efforts to stop flotillas heading to Gaza. Meanwhile, Tunisia's National Guard has dismissed Monday’s alleged attack as “completely unfounded,” stating that initial findings point to the fire starting from a life jacket “as a result of a lighter or cigarette butt.” The GSF has released multiple videos of the incident to back up its claims of a drone attack, an incident that could constitute a war crime if verified.
Israel has enforced a blockade around Gaza for about two decades now, blocking the entrance of ships or boats carrying humanitarian aid into the strip. The blockade is made even more effective by Israel’s destruction of Gaza’s only airport back in 2001. With its ongoing campaign, which has led to the deaths of over 60,000 Palestinians, the targeted killings of over 200 journalists, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands, it has continued to block the external entry of aid despite orders by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that desperately needed humanitarian assistance should be allowed into Gaza.
In June and July, Israel intercepted two vessels carrying supplies to Gaza in international waters. With the GSF, participating activists, campaigners, and volunteers hope to break through the blockade and reach the suffering people in Gaza. Over 50 vessels with representatives from 44 countries are part of the GSF mission.
Wanner writes that the GSF mission is hoping to help open a corridor for food, water, medicine, and other critical supplies to enter Gaza.
Below are excerpts from Wanner’s diary entries, as volunteers on the GSF gear up for their exit from Tunis towards Gaza.
Day 1
I made it safely to Tunis, where we hope to depart for Gaza at an undisclosed date. Given what happened in Egypt and here when people tried to do a convoy with #MarchtoGaza in June, I assumed that it would be difficult to get in, but it was a painless process. Today we had a day off, but tomorrow we start training. Never having been to Tunis, I used the day to get a SIM card and phone.
For some reason, I thought it was 44 boats from 44 countries. Word is I have the number of countries right, but boats are 60 or so. My optimistic self likes to think this could be something positive, as hopefully, they can’t stop us all once we set sail, and we can create that human corridor.
Day 2 (Training Day 1)
I’ve been very laissez-faire about it all, but today shit got real in Day One of [a] two-day training. We all signed the indemnity form, which we gave in print AND electronically (to show how serious it all is), indicating that if anything happens, Global Sumud Flotilla is more innocent than a 50-year-old Zimbabwean guy with that name and with five children with four women. What are the chances that we will make it? 25 percent. And yet, I, the eternal optimist, think that we may make it.
The possible scenarios:
1. The government in Tunisia refuses to let us leave from its ports, in which case, hopefully, the 26 boats already coming from Spain will continue with the trip.
2. The IOF decides to attack before we have left, and the result is our retreating to dock.
3. The IOF decides to attack as we are closer to Gaza (this has been the case of the Freedom Flotilla, the Madleen and the Handala). This may be the most likely scenario.
4. Enough pressure from the world on their governments pushes Israel into a corner, and we actually make it. This would be great, as, although we won’t disembark, we would stay on to form a humanitarian corridor for food to come through.
Scenario 4 has happened before more than once, that's why I'm hopeful. But I am also realistic enough to know that as far as Israel is concerned, they know the majority of the world [is against] them, so these may be the last kicks of a dying horse, and as so happens when that’s the case, the kicks may be extremely ferocious.
We have sort of known it, but it was emphasized to us that whatever we take on the boats, we may not get back if Scenario 3 happens. That means I shall leave my good backpack at the home of a Tunisian comrade, have my cellphone and laptop taken to South Africa, and I’m good to go.
Day 3 (Training Day 2)
Nonviolence – Key word for the day, which makes particular sense after the training today. We all hopefully know already about the Mavi Marmara and the people who lost their lives or got injured during that attempt to break the siege back in 2010. Long and short is, if there is an interception, one must remember that unit that would likely stop us are like our police — U.S. and Brazil police to youths breathing while Black; UK police to anyone wearing a Plasticine Action shirt; South African police to anyone asking for FeesToFall/LivingWagesatMines/CleanRunningWater; Zimbabwean Police to anyone with a Twitter account that even mentions a pothole; Nigerian police to anyone asking for SARS to end; Kenyan police to anyone who wears a #KissMeIfYouHateRuto t-shirt.
Or maybe worse. Shayetet-13 [Israeli special forces] are U.S. Navy Seals on steroids. Raising your hand, answering in some kind of way, or breathing wrongly could lead to YOU being accused of inciting violence. Collective good thus demands that if we should get stopped before we get to Gaza (may this not be our portion), you may hear that I led the singing of “Kumbaya” as we were waiting to get to shore after our boat was taken.
Let it also be said now that should anything actually happen to me, you are forbidden to talk about how ancestors warned me, but I would not listen. Because why are you giving unnecessary trauma to Jama?
Wanner is currently onboard the flotilla, and OkayAfrica will update the story as we get more details from her.
