A PRESS STATEMENT

 

The Jamiatul Ulama South Africa expresses support for the activists who have joined the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza among whom are ten South Africans.

 

Zionist and allied forces that have unleashed untold suffering on the people in Gaza— for nearly two years— have now, not surprisingly, attacked the lead vessel of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) to Gaza.

 

Though being denied by state officials, there has been a suspected drone attack on a Portuguese-flagged boat which occurred in Tunisian waters in the early hours of Tuesday. The suspected sabotage attempt has been confirmed by activists who set sail to break the siege of Gaza, and symbolically deliver aid to the territory experiencing mass starvation and utter devastation, after twenty-three months of mass bombing raids.

 

The intimidatory attack exposes the level of nervousness of the war criminals, in the face of the truth being championed by the GSF, whose actions expose the depravity of Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza, and the dehumanisation of Palestinians.

 

No amount of propaganda can cover up the atrocious collective punishment of Palestinians in general, and in Gaza, in particular. Billed as the largest maritime humanitarian mission to Gaza with 50 vessels and delegates from at least 44 countries, GSF is in itself proof that, in spite of deliberate Gaza news black-out especially in the West, narratives obfuscating the realities of famine, disease and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians are failing.

 

Following the attack incident, Thiago Avila, a member of the GSF Steering Committee urged the world not to take eyes away from Gaza in a passionate plea by saying:

 

What we have to say right now, is that we have been attacked and we call upon the world for solidarity, not with the humanitarian mission, but keep your eyes on Gaza, because when they attack a humanitarian mission like this it is because they don’t want people to look at what they are doing in Gaza. It is still too early to say who is the owner of these drones but we know very well; you don’t need to be a magician; you don’t need to guess very far to know… Who has been attacking humanitarian missions to Gaza for so long? Who has been assassinating aid workers? Who has been assassinating medical workers? United Nations workers, civil defence workers, journalists? Who has been doing all that in a genocide?

 

It remains our collective responsibility to continue to engage in acts and devotions that are within our power, in solidarity with the Palestinians in general, and in Gaza in particular, reflecting on the naming of the mission as “Sumud” as a recognition and a salute to the resilience, steadfastness and the staying power of a people which scares even the forces that are bent at annihilating and ethnically-cleansing Palestinians.

 

Released by:

 

The Executive Committee
Jamiatul Ulama South Africa

 

16 Rabi ‘al Awwal 1447 / 09 September 2025