Walsall resident joins mission looking to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza
A Walsall resident and humanitarian has said that helping people in need in Gaza is worth taking on a challenge voyage towards through a blockade.
Sijaad Hussain is one of a large number of people who have set sail on dozens of boats and heading for Gaza with the aim of delivering humanitarian aid and breaking a blockade by Israel.
Mr Hussain, from Walsall, is part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a relief convoy, which said it has an aim 'of breaking Israel’s illegal blockade on Gaza, to deliver urgent humanitarian aid, and to expose the genocidal war waged on Palestinians' and joined the first part of the flotilla that departed from Spain on August 31.
Before setting sail, Mr Hussain, who is a member of the Walsall Kobar Friendship Association, a group formed to develop twinning links between Walsall and Kobar, a small town north of Ramallah in the Palestine West Bank, spoke about why he had chosen to join the Flotilla, saying that he felt that more needed to be done to help those in need.
He said: “I’ve been involved in several different actions in the last 25 years: national protests, Boycott, Divestment Sanctions (BDS), petitions, writing to MPs and joining the Global March to Gaza.
"Now I thought something else needs to be done, a greater hands-on approach.
"That is why I’m part of this peaceful humanitarian mission.”
The flotilla is composed of dozens of small civilian vessels carrying activists, parliamentarians, doctors, and trade unionists, alongside humanitarian cargo, with more than 40 delegations having pledged participation.
Organisers said this made the Flotilla the largest people-led maritime effort in solidarity with Gaza since the 2010 Freedom Flotilla, of which ‘Mavi Marmara’ was part of, as well as being entirely lawful under international maritime law as civilian vessels carrying humanitarian aid in international waters are protected under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
A spokesman for the Flotilla said: "Our boats carry more than aid. They carry a message: the siege must end.
"The greater danger lies not in confronting Israel at sea, but in allowing genocide to continue with impunity.
"Greek trade unionists are taking banners pledging workers’ solidarity with Palestine.
"Doctors from Spain and Italy carry vital medicines banned from entering Gaza.
"Parliamentarians from South Africa and Norway insist that breaking the siege is a moral and political duty."
Mr Hussain also posted a video from the Flotilla on the fourth day of travelling, saying that while it had been eventful so far, it had been an amazing experience.
He said: "I know you must have heard that it's been quite eventful for us as there is an amazing team on this boat, which is a small boat, and we went through a storm together and came out positive on the other end, working together for the mission.
"We're looking forward to taking the aid on board to Gaza on this peaceful mission as the people of Gaza are waiting and we need to break the siege.
"The rest of the Flotilla are on their way, with some behind and some ahead, and we're all going to move together and head towards Gaza and feed the people of Gaza."
To find out more about the Flotilla and to make a donation, go to the Flotilla website.
