4 Oct 2025
The Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in South West Asia and North Africa (WHRDMENA) is not surprised, yet appalled and utterly repulsed, by the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla during the early hours of 2 Oct 2025, where “more than 20 vessels (attacked) 44 ships” of the courageous Flotilla. In classic Zionist fashion, the occupation is trying to once again, use expensive propaganda campaigns to gain sympathy.
The flotilla is a reminder as well as an act of solidarity with Gazans, whose lands are being wiped out and their lives are being shattered and stolen. The very fact that humanitarians had to set sail in the first place exposes the international community’s persistent failure to end Israel’s ongoing genocide, ensure the unhindered flow of aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and hold the Zionist entity accountable.
Palestine is a feminist issue. The ongoing genocide in Gaza, and the annihilation of women’s reproductive health rights, and targeting of feminists and WHRDs is a feminist issue, thereby making the flotilla’s interception and criminalization of its volunteers a feminist issue as well. We reiterate the demand of our sisters at IM-Defensora’s to the governments of all the different nationalities onboard, to fulfill their obligations to provide protection to the people on the flotilla, guarantee the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and, in accordance with the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, do everything possible to stop the genocide.
We also stand with the demand of the Palestinian NGO Forum Combatting Violence against Women, “(calling) on the UN Secretary-General to urgently call for a ceasefire and an end to the ongoing genocide, and to convene an emergency Security Council session, while ensuring that the veto is not used to block the resolution”. In addition to calling for the immediate release of the flotilla hostages as well as all Palestinian hostages held captive across occupied land.
We also call on feminists and human rights groups and organizations worldwide to disrupt, boycott and demand the accountability and punish the Israeli zionist occupational entity for all the horrific crimes of genocide perpetrated according to international law; and we hold the zionist occupational state responsible for the physical and psychological integrity of the abducted and detained Global Sumud Flotilla. Palestine will be free.
