The Grassroots Movements to Break the Siege on Gaza

The failure of global and regional efforts to stop Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip is now giving rise to a burgeoning grassroots movement aimed at breaking the siege of the territory and building direct solidarity with Palestinians. On Monday, an activist group sailing on the ship the Madleen was intercepted by the Israeli military. That ship was attempting to break the naval blockade on the territory, while delivering a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza. The activists on the Madleen, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, were detained by Israel after being abducted in international waters. Some were subsequently deported.

Their effort is only one of many civil society campaigns now trying to break Israel’s stranglehold over the territory. International activists are now preparing to march by land to the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza. A convoy drawing citizens from over 50 countries, and including members of labor unions, solidarity movements, and human rights organizations, is now commencing a campaign called the Global March to Gaza. Organizers and participants are planning to converge in Cairo this week, before marching from the Egyptian capital on foot towards Rafah, where they plan to stage a sit-in aimed at pressuring authorities to reopen the crossing.

The convoy hopes that their efforts with help halt the genocide against Palestinians, now nearing its second year, while forcing the resumption of humanitarian aid to the besieged coastal territory. Drop Site journalists Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Murtaza Hussain discussed the convoy and its aims this week with organizers Seif Abukeshek and Melanie Schweizer, who are preparing to depart as part of the campaign this week.

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