The international Palestine Convoy has launched a hunger strike after being prevented from entering Iraq for a fourth consecutive day, as participants continue their overland journey in solidarity with the Palestinian people and in opposition to the ongoing Israeli siege on Gaza.

The convoy, made up of activists and supporters from different countries, is seeking to continue its journey toward the West Bank. However, its progress has been halted at the Ibrahim Khalil Border Gate on the Turkish side of the Türkiye-Iraq frontier, where participants are waiting for permission from Iraqi authorities to enter the country.

The decision to begin a hunger strike marks a significant escalation in the convoy's peaceful protest. Organisers say they are determined to continue their journey and are calling on Iraqi authorities to immediately remove the obstacles preventing the convoy from crossing the border.

The Palestine Convoy has travelled thousands of kilometres as part of an international solidarity campaign intended to challenge the isolation imposed on Palestinians and draw global attention to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

After crossing Türkiye, the convoy reached the Ibrahim Khalil crossing expecting to continue into Iraq. Instead, participants have remained stranded at the border for days, with organisers demanding clarity over why the group has been denied passage.

The convoy's supporters argue that the initiative is entirely peaceful and humanitarian in nature and question why civilians travelling to express solidarity with Palestine should be prevented from crossing into Iraq.

For participants, the prolonged delay has become a symbol of the broader obstacles facing efforts to support Palestinians while the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues.

After four days of waiting, convoy participants announced the start of a hunger strike to protest the continued obstruction of their journey.

Organisers say the decision was not taken lightly but was prompted by the absence of a clear resolution to the border standoff.

The hunger strike is intended to draw greater attention to the convoy's situation and pressure authorities to allow the group to proceed peacefully.

Participants have appealed to the Iraqi government to open the route and called on Türkiye, Iran and other regional governments to use their diplomatic influence to help resolve the crisis.

The border standoff has prompted criticism among supporters of Palestine, who argue that governments in the region should facilitate peaceful civilian initiatives supporting the Palestinian cause.

Iraq, Türkiye and Iran have repeatedly expressed support for Palestinian rights and opposition to Israel's actions in Gaza. Supporters of the convoy therefore say that such political positions should be accompanied by practical steps to assist peaceful solidarity movements.

The question being raised by convoy supporters is straightforward: If governments publicly support Palestine, why should a peaceful civilian convoy travelling to demonstrate solidarity with Palestinians be prevented from continuing its journey?

The organisers are particularly calling for Türkiye and Iran to intervene diplomatically and encourage the Iraqi authorities to allow the convoy to pass.

The convoy's journey is intended to send a message that Palestinians should not be left isolated while Gaza faces an escalating humanitarian catastrophe.

Its route has been deliberately difficult, reflecting what organisers describe as the obstacles confronting international efforts to reach and support Palestine.

Yet the convoy's supporters insist that the current blockade at the Iraqi border will not weaken their commitment.

The hunger strike has transformed the border crossing into a new focal point of the campaign, with participants demanding the right to continue their peaceful journey.

For those taking part, the struggle is not simply about crossing one border. It is about challenging the political, logistical and diplomatic barriers that continue to surround the Palestinian cause.

As the convoy enters another day of uncertainty at the Ibrahim Khalil crossing, organisers are calling on Iraqi authorities to end the impasse and allow the convoy to move forward.

The journey toward Palestine may have been blocked at the border, but the convoy says its solidarity with the Palestinian people will not be stopped. (ILKHA)