Israel has stopped the Global Sumud Flotilla. The country’s foreign ministry announced that it had intercepted nearly all 43 “Hamas-Sumud provocation yachts” that were on their way to Gaza to deliver desperately-needed humanitarian aid. Cameras broadcasting live from the vessels showed armed Israeli soldiers boarding the boats, decked in full military gear and night vision goggles, pointing their guns at the activists huddled inside. Israel had branded the activists aboard “terrorists,” providing ludicrous fabricated “evidence” to show supposed links between the flotilla boats and Hamas. Israel had vowed to stop the “provocation” (delivering aid on tiny boats) by any means necessary, having attacked the boats repeatedly with drones. 

This is in keeping with the country’s usual practice. Israel has strictly blockaded Gaza since long before Oct. 7, 2023. In 2010 Israel illegally attacked a humanitarian aid flotilla in international waters, killing 10 unarmed activists aboard, including many who were killed in a manner “consistent with an extra-legal, arbitrary and summary execution,” according to a UN investigation. In May of this year, a humanitarian ship on its way to Gaza that was literally called the Conscience suffered a suspected Israeli drone attack. Over the years, many humanitarian boats have set sail for Gaza in an effort to deliver aid, and all have been forcibly intercepted, raided, or attacked by Israel. Israel often intercepts boats in international waters, where it has no right to stop ships and is committing an act of piracy. But it doesn’t have a right to intercept boats as they enter the waters of the State of Palestine, either. Morality and compliance with international law are matters of no interest to Israel, however.

It was no surprise, then, that Israel stopped the Sumud flotilla. The participants expected as much. But one little boat, the Mikeno, may have broken through the blockade and actually entered Gaza’s waters, coming as close as 9.3 miles away from shore. The Israeli military steadfastly denies that the Mikeno made it, insisting that the tracker must have been “faulty.” But the military’s denial is worthless in and of itself—if they admitted that their impenetrable barrier had been breached, it would encourage more boats to try, thus they will issue a denial regardless of the facts. 

If the Mikeno did make it close to Gaza (its last tracked position was less than 10 miles off the coast), it is a striking and inspiring demonstration of an obvious fact: the Israeli blockade can be defeated, with a sufficient number of ships. Israel’s power is not infinite, and so the only thing required to defeat it is numbers. They were able, just barely, to stop 40 boats. Could they stop 400? 4,000? There is a number above which the boats would be able to break the blockade and make it to Gaza. The only question is: what is that number? As activist Philip Proudfoot concluded, “This Sumud Flotilla has issued a powerful proof of concept. With 42 ships, they very almost made it. Next time, 200. Next time, bigger ships. Next time, big humanitarian organizations must join.”

If one of the boats did make it so close to Gaza, it only underscores how shameful the world’s failure to support the flotilla has been. It is hard to think of a cause more unambiguously noble than sending humanitarian aid to desperately needy people. These activists risked their lives to bring Gazans some relief, trying to break Israel’s totally illegitimate blockade. They committed themselves to returning over and over until aid gets through. One flotilla member, in a group message shared with Current Affairs, described the activists’ resolve: “Even if only one of our boats makes it, we are to deliver the supplies, restock in Cyprus, and return to Gaza. We agreed in August to sail until a humanitarian corridor opened.” I don’t see how anyone can look at their mission, and listen to their testimonies, and doubt that they are demonstrating humanity’s best instincts. Risking everything to feed strangers in a far-off land? What could be more praiseworthy? When you see the people doing this, and then you see the military branding them terrorists and vowing to stop the aid ships, surely it’s clear which side is the one worth being on.

Yet despite the moral lines being drawn so clearly, the world has failed to support the Sumud Flotilla. The European Union had discouraged blockade-busting flotillas, saying they “escalate the situation” (apparently it is the flotilla members “escalating,” not the Israelis who attack them). Spain and Italy appeared to be taking the moral course by sending naval ships to guard the flotilla after the Israeli drone strikes, but then shamefully discouraged the flotilla from continuing, and stopped protecting the boats. These countries could have joined the flotilla and lent their naval force to breaking through Israel’s illegal blockade. Instead, they ensured Israel would have a free hand to stop the passage of aid. If I was Spanish or Italian, I would be feeling deeply ashamed of my government today. (As it is, I am an American, so I feel deeply ashamed of my government every day.)  

What if the countries of the world had taken seriously their obligation to stop an ongoing genocide? What if they had gone beyond empty words and UN resolutions and decided, like the Sumud Flotilla members, to take direct action? The leaders of countries like Ireland, South Africa, Brazil, Colombia, and Spain have been vocal in their condemnation of Israel. But when it came to actually doing something that could make a meaningful difference, they sat on their hands. Where is the pope? He could command an aid boat and dare Israel to stop him. Ireland has a navy. Where is it? Why isn’t it on its way to Gaza with ships full of baby formula and Taytos? Leaders of the world: do you care to actually do something for Palestine? Or are you all talk? 

The members of the Sumud Flotilla showed that we don’t have to sit lamenting the fate of Gaza and wishing things could be different. They took direct action. They saw a problem and they set out to solve it. If they had received some real support from governments around the world, they may well have succeeded. But they were left on their own, because despite the endless professions of moral outrage at Israel’s conduct, not a single government is actually prepared to use its resources to challenge Israel directly. History will look back on this failure as shameful. You couldn’t even send a boat? What a disgrace. But they still could. At any time, the countries that vote to condemn Israel’s genocide at the UN could act as the members of the Sumud Flotilla did, and take direct action. Force a showdown. With the world united, Israel would have no choice but to back down. 

The Sumud Flotilla participants have shown exactly how we should act in response to an ongoing genocide. Not more violence. Peaceful civil disobedience. Defying authority, while acting humanely and justly. They are true heroes for our time, models of compassion who the rest of us should aspire to be more like. They did not succeed, but it was not because they did not try. And they could have succeeded, if countries around the world had actually shown they live their values. There is still time.

At the moment, a so-called “peace plan” is under consideration. That plan may require Gazans to give up armed resistance against Israel, and place Gaza under the imperial governance of Tony Blair. It will undoubtedly be horrendously unjust to Palestinians, who will have no choice to accept it since the alternative is the continuation of a genocide. But even if “peace” comes to Gaza, history shows that Israel is going to continue to try to heavily restrict the admission of humanitarian aid. Direct action will continue to be necessary for the foreseeable future. Even if the genocide is formally brought to a conclusion (right now, it is continuing and worsening), the blockade will continue, and attempts to breach it will continue to be necessary.

For now, the urgent priority is to secure the safe release of all the activists that Israel has illegally detained, and to unify elected officials in condemning Israel’s action and promising to support a cutoff of weapons. Call your representatives and demand they take a public stand in favor of the flotilla activists and against Israel’s illegal interception. A sample script is below: 

Hello, my name is [Your Name] and I am a constituent from [Your City/State], [Your ZIP code].  I am calling to express my grave concern regarding the illegal interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla by Israeli forces in international waters on October 2, 2025. This peaceful, humanitarian mission was carrying vital aid to Gaza and included hundreds of international activists, some of whom are U.S. citizens. This interception violates international law. The reports of forceful interception, detention of activists, and communication jamming are deeply disturbing. I urge [Representative/Senator's Name] to take immediate action: Publicly condemn Israel's illegal interception of the flotilla. Demand the safe and immediate release of all detained activists, including U.S. citizens. Work with the State Department and international partners to ensure the aid is delivered to Gaza immediately. Please do everything in your power to uphold international law and protect the lives of those on a humanitarian mission."

In addition, call the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv (011-972-2-630-4000 , TelAvivACS@state.gov) , the job of which is to protect Americans abroad, to demand that they secure the safe release of U.S. flotilla members immediately.