Tunisia- In an extraordinary scene inside a scout headquarters in Tunis, dozens of men and women of all ages gathered in preparation for the overland convoy to break the siege on Gazaa qualitative humanitarian initiative organized by the Coordination of Joint Action for Palestine in TunisiaIt is scheduled to depart on June 9 from Tunis to Rafah crossing via Libya and Egypt.
In a spacious hall, participants are very focused on the instructor’s instructions, as they follow the details of emergency first aid, united by an unrelenting will and determination that reflects a mental and physical readiness to accompany the convoy on its long overland journey to the besieged and starving Gaza.
According to the organizers of the convoy, the online registration link was closed on Monday after receiving about 7,000 applications, of which about 2,000 have completed their travel documents. Algerian and Libyan delegations have also officially joined, turning it into a Maghreb initiative with a regional dimension.
Historical journey
The convoy comes in a tragic context imposed by the suffocating siege imposed by the Israeli occupation on the people of the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the genocidal war, in response to the “Al-Aqsa Flotilla” launched by the Palestinian resistance, led by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)on October 7, 2023.
The ongoing Israeli aggression has left tens of thousands of martyrs and wounded in light of the suspicious international silence and the absence of effective humanitarian and political efforts to break the cycle of violence and alleviate the suffering of civilians in Gaza. The convoy seeks to be a loud cry in the face of this silence and a message of solidarity from the peoples of the region with the suffering of the Palestinians, especially the sick, children, women and the elderly who are victims of the bombing and siege, according to the organizers.
Nabil Chenoufi, a spokesperson for the convoy, said its goal is “to break the barbaric siege imposed on the people of Gaza and to send a message to the Palestinians that their brothers in the Maghreb are with them heart and soul.”
Shenoufi noted that preparations are proceeding at an accelerated pace to make it a success on all levels, and that the coordination, along with its partners, such as the Tunisian scouts, the deanship of doctors, the Red Crescent and others, organized training courses for participants in first aid and legal issues as part of a series of preparatory activities before the move, including setting up medical tents to check their health to ensure that they can withstand the hardship of travel and issue medical certificates for them.
He told Al Jazeera.net: “We have made all the preparations, we have doctors, mechanics, huge equipment, and we will even take spare parts for cars, in case of any emergency on the road,” he said, noting that this convoy is part of a “historic journey” with a humanitarian goal of breaking the siege and “starving the usurping Zionist entity of the people of Gaza,” and demanding an accelerated truce and an end to the brutal massacres amid international silence.
As for the quality of the participants, he explained that they represent a wide spectrum of Tunisian society, from 18-year-olds to elderly people over 70 years old, including doctors, students, trade unionists, scouts, journalists, activists from the Red Crescent and the deanship of doctors, retired military personnel and others.
Letter of conscience
The caravan is not subject to any political or associative cover, but is organized independently in coordination with a number of partners, including Tunisian General Labor Union All those who have completed their documents and received approval are receiving guidebooks via email and WhatsApp that include precise details about the itinerary, legal and health procedures during this overland journey, according to Chnoufi.
Wael Nawar, a spokesperson for the caravan, told Al Jazeera Net that the event reflects the deep spirit of solidarity between free peoples and the cause of Palestineand embodies a collective consciousness that transcends political and geographical borders, noting the participation of about 2,000 people who completed all travel documents after the announcement of the closing of registration on the dedicated online platform yesterday.
Nawar explained that the convoy is not only carrying relief aid, but an independent popular humanitarian convoy that aims to break the brutal siege on Gaza and deliver a message of living conscience from the Arab peoples to the absent international conscience.
“The issue is not the availability of aid, there are thousands of tons piled up in Al-Arish and Rafah, which the Zionist occupation is preventing from entering, so we will be stationed in Rafah for a few days to demand its entry, accelerate the truce and stop the genocidal war that claims hundreds of lives daily,” he added.
Regarding the nature of the coordination with the Tunisian, Libyan and Egyptian authorities, Nawar said that it is going smoothly, and that the official list of participants will be delivered to the Egyptian embassy to obtain the necessary visas.
As for the route of the convoy, the spokesman revealed that it will depart from Mohamed V Street in the capital Tunis at dawn on June 9, with resting points in Sfax, Gabes and Ben Guerdane, to gather the rest of the participants through Tripoli, Misrata, Sirte, Benghazi and Tobruk, before entering the Egyptian Salloum crossing on June 12, reaching Cairo and then the Rafah crossing on the 15th of the same month, according to estimates.
International action
The trip is scheduled to last 14 days, but due to changing circumstances, such as disruptions or delays, it could take up to three additional days. “We are prepared for all these possibilities, but we are keen to complete the mission in the best possible way,” says Nawar.
According to him, when the convoy arrives at the Rafah crossing, an international committee including representatives of the Resilience Flotilla, the Global March to Gaza and the Freedom Flotilla will meet to decide how long to stay in Rafah, based on the circumstances and coordinate with the relevant authorities to press for the opening of the crossing and the entry of humanitarian aid.
“We plan to stay in Rafah for up to five days if everything goes smoothly, but if we encounter delays or complications, this time may be reduced to two days, however, we are committed to staying within the framework of the estimated 14-day trip,” the activist added.
In light of the brutal siege on Gaza, this initiative is part of a large-scale global march to Gaza organized by the Coordination of Joint Action for Palestine in partnership with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and the Global March to Gaza, which includes thousands of participants from some 25 countries.
It also comes as part of a civilian movement of activists around the world to break the siege on Gaza, and its first steps were launched by sea with the departure of the “Madeleine” ship from the southern Italian coastal town of Catania towards Gaza, with 12 international activists on board. The land flotilla from Tunisia is part of an international movement with the slogan “We are coming to Gaza by land, sea and air.” The flotilla is part of an international movement to break the siege of Gaza.
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2025-06-03 11:25:00
