Libyan hospital ship sets sail to join Gaza-bound aid flotilla

TRIPOLI, Libya/ISTANBUL

The Libyan vessel Omar al-Mukhtar set sail Sunday to join the Global Sumud Flotilla aimed at breaking Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip after being equipped with an intensive care unit to provide health services for the fleet.

It comes after the ship was unable to sail Wednesday due to bad weather conditions, the ship’s spokesperson, Nabil al-Soukni, told Anadolu.

“We are now fully ready with all our equipment, and we increased the storage of supplies for some of the smaller boats that had been understocked due to their size,” al-Soukni said.

He added that they have also allocated space for activists from some boats that were deemed unsuitable to reach Gaza.

The spokesman said that the Omar al-Mukhtar is carrying tents for displaced Palestinians, medicines, baby formula and various supplies for all age groups in the enclave.

“The popular and moral support we received from some parties in Libya was a strong message to raise the morale of the crew aboard the Omar al-Mukhtar,” he added.

Among the prominent figures on board is former Libyan Prime Minister Omar al-Hassi, along with international activists, the spokesman said.

Abdel Rahman Humaid, the medical officer aboard the Omar al-Mukhtar, told Anadolu that they included an accompanying health team and set up an intensive care unit to provide medical services for the international flotilla.

“We equipped the ship with the necessary equipment and medicines and outfitted it with everything required for intensive care,” Humaid said.

Recently, dozens of ships have been sailing from North African and European ports toward Gaza as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla to break the Israeli blockade.

On Sept. 16, the International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza announced that the flotilla’s ships would gather near the island nation of Malta to sail together across the Mediterranean toward Gaza’s shores, without specifying a date.

It is the largest effort of its kind aiming to reach Gaza, where 2.4 million Palestinians live under an Israeli blockade that has lasted 18 years.

Israel has previously intercepted Gaza-bound ships, seizing the vessels and deporting those on board.

UN investigators recently concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, where nearly 65,300 people have been killed since October 2023.