Tripoli, MINA – An overland aid convoy of buses and private vehicles crossed into Libya on Tuesday as it continues its journey to Egypt, aiming to break Israel’s ongoing humanitarian blockade on the Gaza Strip, Palestine chronicle reported.
The convoy, called Sumoud (which means resilience in Arabic), is composed of 12 buses and 100 private cars carrying over 1,000 participants. It is led by Tunisian civil society groups, with participants from Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, and Libya. The group began their journey from Tunis, the Tunisian capital, on Monday.
“We crossed through several Libyan cities and are now close to Al-Zawiya, 51 kilometers west of Tripoli,” said Mohammed Ameen Binnour, a medical coordinator with the convoy, to Anadolu news agency.
According to Binnour, the convoy received strong support from local Libyans, including food, water, and an official welcome by Libyan security forces.
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Participants in the convoy include diplomats, doctors, lawyers, and activists. They plan to reach the Egyptian border and eventually the city of Rafah by Thursday, depending on Egyptian government approval.
“This is part of a global initiative involving over 30 countries from Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia,” said Binnour. “We are moving in coordination with different movements aiming to reach Gaza by land, sea, and air.”
Among the partners mentioned are the March on Gaza and the Global March to Gaza initiatives. Events and rallies are planned along the route to raise international awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
According to the Tunisian Carthage Magazine, the Sumoud convoy aims to pressure Egypt to open the Rafah crossing and ease restrictions on humanitarian entry into Gaza. “Cairo has yet to issue permits for entry,” the report added.
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Parallel to the convoy’s mission, thousands of activists from 32 countries are preparing to march from Cairo to the Rafah border on June 15. They will gather in Cairo on June 12 and walk 50 kilometers over three days from Arish to Rafah.
Meanwhile, Israel on Monday intercepted the Madleen, a British-flagged aid ship headed for Gaza. The vessel was part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FCC) and carried 12 international activists. Four have been deported; eight remain in detention.
Humanitarian aid to Gaza has been blocked since early March, leading the United Nations and global NGOs to warn of imminent famine among the 2.4 million residents. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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