Gaza mural immortalizes aid mission defying Israeli blockade

Along the dock of Gaza’s seaport, facing waters long marked by blockade and hardship, Palestinian artists have painted a mural rich in symbolism and defiance, expressing solidarity with the Global Sumud Flotilla and condemning the Israeli attack that targeted the humanitarian mission in international waters.

The artwork, created Sunday, goes beyond color on a wall. It stands as a collective outcry by visual artists who transformed their brushes into tools of resistance, voicing rejection of the long-standing Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza and affirming belief in international solidarity efforts aimed at breaking its isolation.

The mural features flags of several countries, including Türkiye, alongside images of large ships navigating open waters.

On April 26, the “Spring Mission 2026” of the Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from the Italian island of Sicily, aiming to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid after completing final preparations.

However, Israeli forces launched an attack Wednesday evening in international waters off the Greek island of Crete, targeting boats carrying activists.

The initiative marks the flotilla’s second attempt. A previous mission in September 2025 ended with an Israeli attack the following month in international waters, during which hundreds of international activists aboard the vessels were detained before deportation.

The mural “aims to document Israeli crimes in Gaza, including genocide, starvation, displacement, killing and destruction, as well as the attack on the flotilla,” Palestinian artist Aya Juha said.

“Art is an important tool for documenting these crimes,” she told Anadolu. “It is also a way to reach the outside world and convey Gaza’s suffering.”

Fellow artist Nahil Zaidieh also told Anadolu the mural reflects “the sea of Gaza, ships and flags of countries showing solidarity,” symbolizing international efforts to break the blockade and referencing the attack on the flotilla.

Artist Abdullah Abu al-Qambaz said the mural expresses solidarity with the flotilla that had been expected to reach Gaza, voicing hope that more ships would follow in support of the enclave.

Since 2007, Israel has imposed an illegal blockade on Gaza. About 1.5 million Palestinians - out of a population of roughly 2.4 million - are now without shelter after their homes were destroyed during a genocidal war that began on October, 2023.

The war has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians and injured over 172,000, most of them women and children, while destroying about 90% of the enclave’s infrastructure. The UN has estimated reconstruction costs at around $70 billion.

Despite a ceasefire in place since Oct. 10, Israel continues its genocide alongside a sustained blockade, with ongoing strikes killing at least 830 Palestinians and wounding 2,345 more, most of them women and children, in addition to widespread destruction.

Israel also restricts the entry of agreed quantities of food, medicine, medical supplies and shelter materials into Gaza, which continues to suffer extensive damage to infrastructure, including hospitals and healthcare facilities.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul