• Yasemin Acar, a steering committee member of the Global Sumud Flotilla, says the mission is about proving that ordinary citizens can organize where governments fail
• ‘We will continue to Gaza and we will deliver this much needed humanitarian aid, but most importantly, we will deliver a message to a world that keeps silent,’ Acar tells Anadolu
• ‘We want to … resist colonialism and apartheid and genocide. To stop the Zionist entity and those around the world who are supporting it politically and financially,’ says Acar

ISTANBUL

The waves are rough, the skies unsettled, and Israeli threats grow louder with every passing day. Yet Yasemin Acar refuses to back down. Aboard one of the vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla, she insists the mission to Gaza will continue – no matter the risks.

“If we’re looking at what is coming out of the Zionist entity, from their leaders … they’re saying that they want to charge us with terrorism, imprison us organizers for long periods of time,” said Acar, a steering committee member of the flotilla. “But that will not make us stop, that will not make us turn around.”

Speaking in a video interview with Anadolu, the activist appeared calm but resolute, the Mediterranean glittering behind her. The only reason they might pause, she explained, is technical — “if assistance is needed from other boats.”

Otherwise, the mission is clear: “We will continue to Gaza and we will deliver this much needed humanitarian aid, but most importantly, we will deliver a message to a world that keeps silent.”  

Storms, surveillance, and persistence

On Thursday, Acar and her crew were anchored in Menorca after a storm battered the flotilla soon after leaving Barcelona. Waves proved too dangerous in the open waters, forcing them to regroup.

Explaining that the flotilla includes both large and small boats, she said they did not want to risk anyone, so the decision was made to come to Menorca.

From there, the mission sails on – next to Tunis, where more boats from Tunisia, Sicily, and Greece will join before heading toward Gaza.

Acar is no stranger to this perilous journey. She previously joined flotillas such as the Madleen, which was intercepted in international waters, and she was imprisoned after Israeli forces attacked and seized the boats.

“This all happened in international waters, which is a breach of international law,” she recalled. “And we said we will come back, we will escalate with more boats, and even more people from around the world.”

Already, she noted, the flotilla has faced surveillance. “We saw drones over us on our second night sailing toward Menorca,” she said. “It started very early, but we expected this. Looking at all the threats, this is only going to get more.”  

Building a global resistance

The Global Sumud Flotilla is more a coalition than a convoy of aid ships, with 44 delegations from across the world being part of the mission, many representing nations whose governments Acar accuses of complicity.

“We want to resist these regimes. Resist colonialism and apartheid and genocide – to stop the Zionist entity and those around the world who are supporting it politically and financially,” she said.

She sees the flotilla as one piece of a larger, growing global movement. Its dangers, she insists, pale in comparison to what Palestinians endure in Gaza. “This is just a warning to the world,” she said. “What they’re doing is beyond evil. It’s the Palestinians going through that.”

Like previous missions, the Global Sumud Flotilla carries only humanitarian cargo – and an unshakable commitment to nonviolence.

“It is … a nonviolent mission that carries no weapons – only baby formula, rice, flour, medicine to a population that is being starved,” Acar explained.

Yet she knows Israel views even peaceful resistance as a threat. “Of course, they see us as a threat because anyone, literally any individual in the world today who stands with Palestine, faces accusations of terrorism or antisemitism.”

In earlier missions, she was kidnapped and imprisoned, but she draws perspective from Palestinian suffering. “It’s nowhere near what over 10,000 Palestinian prisoners are facing in the dungeons, and nowhere near close to what the over 400 children kidnapped into Zionist dungeons face,” she said.  

A movement too big to silence

Acar believes momentum is on their side, citing the fact that they managed to bring together hundreds of boats and thousands of people just two months after the last flotilla sailed for Gaza. 

Interest has exploded, as more than 30,000 people applied to join this mission. “Even more wanted to come,” she added. “But, of course, we don’t have the necessary boats and ships.”

When they reach Gaza, Acar promises, their call will be clear: open a humanitarian sea corridor. “When we open up the humanitarian sea corridor, we will call out to the world and say, ‘Now, take your boat and come ... Come to Gaza and deliver aid, be in solidarity, and stand against the complicit governments.’”

Quoting Malcolm X, she underscored the urgency of collective action: “We’re not outnumbered, we’re out organized. So join us, contact us, join the global movement. I believe we can do this together and we can stop this.”