A powerful convoy of nearly 2,000 North African activists is making its way toward the besieged Gaza Strip, in a courageous and peaceful act of resistance against Israel’s brutal blockade and in unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Dubbed the Maghreb “Resilience Convoy” (Sumud), the initiative began in Tunis on Monday and reached Zawiya, Libya by Tuesday. The convoy, which includes activists from Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Libya, and Mauritania, is set to pass through Misrata and Cairo, with plans to reach Rafah on Sunday, aiming to deliver a loud and clear message: Gaza is not alone.

With more than 120 vehicles, nine buses, and 1,700 participants, this is one of the most significant overland solidarity movements in recent years. The convoy is supported by respected international solidarity movements, including the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and the Global March to Gaza, and seeks to break the silence of the world in the face of Israeli war crimes and collective punishment.

In Zawiya, local Libyans turned out in large numbers to welcome the convoy, waving flags and saluting the activists as a gesture of regional unity and defiance against the ongoing occupation and siege.

“We hope Egypt understands that this is a peaceful humanitarian and moral stand against injustice,” said Nabil Channoufi, a spokesperson for the convoy, after meetings with Egyptian officials yielded no clear commitment on access to the Rafah crossing.

Though the convoy is not carrying physical aid, its organizers stress that its mission is equally vital: to apply public and moral pressure on Israel and the international community, to demand an end to the siege, and to remind the world that Palestinians have allies beyond the walls of occupation.

Their journey comes as Gaza continues to suffer under a devastating blockade, which has turned the territory into a humanitarian disaster zone. About 55,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been martyred since October 2023 under relentless Israeli bombardment. Access to food, water, medicine, and shelter remains critically restricted.

Meanwhile, Israel and the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has been widely condemned by the United Nations and humanitarian groups for manipulating aid access and failing to meet the urgent needs of the population.

The timing of the convoy is significant. It coincides with Israel's illegal interception of the aid ship “Madleen” in international waters, where 12 activists were kidnapped by Israeli forces as they attempted to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza by sea. This, organizers say, only underscores the need for mass mobilization and grassroots action.

The convoy is expected to be joined in Cairo by activists from nearly 50 countries, forming a broader international front calling for justice, accountability, and the lifting of the siege.

“We are not just marching to Gaza,” one participant said. “We are marching for dignity, freedom, and the right of Palestinians to live.”

As the convoy moves toward Rafah, it carries with it the hopes of millions who demand an end to Israel’s impunity and a future where Palestinians are free from occupation, starvation, and apartheid. (ILKHA)