A group of U.S. veterans has joined the global flotilla sailing to Gaza

from Mondoweiss

The Global Sumud Flotilla, which departed Barcelona on August 31, is the largest civilian maritime attempt to break Israel’s siege of Gaza. Dozens of boats are sailing across the Mediterranean to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

On the night of September 23, the boats were hit with a barrage of attacks.

“Multiple drones, unidentified objects dropped, communications jammed and explosions heard from a number of boats,” said the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) in a statement. “We are witnessing these psychological operations first-hand, right now, but we will not be intimidated.”

This was not the first time the flotilla had been targeted.

Alleged drones hit two boats in the flotilla earlier this month, and, while Israel’s involvement has not been proven, the country’s Foreign Ministry has denounced the mission as a “jihadist initiative.”

“Israel’s rhetoric against the Global Sumud Flotilla sets the stage for further escalation. Painting a peaceful humanitarian mission as a ‘breach of the law’ is a pretext for violence against civilians acting lawfully to deliver aid,” said members of the flotilla at the time.

Phillip Tottenham is a member of the activist group Veterans For Peace and a passenger on the Ohwayla. The boat, which is mainly comprised of veterans, is part of the Gaza-bound flotilla...

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