As the Global Sumud Flotilla nears the Gaza coastline, Al Jazeera takes a look back at some of the past flotillas.
The Handala
Israeli forces stormed the Gaza-bound flotilla, which was carrying aid to starving Palestinians, on July 26, 2025.
Activists on the Handala came from Australia, France, Iraq, Italy, Morocco, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, the UK and the US.
(July 31, 2025)
This morning the final two Handala volunteers held in Givon Prison–Christian Smalls from the United States and Hatem Aouini from Tunisia–were freed via Jordan’s King Hussein/Allenby Bridge after five days of unlawful imprisonment in occupied Palestine. Both had been on hunger strike to protest mistreatment. Aouini was received by the Tunisian embassy at the border. Despite repeated requests for assistance, neither the U.S. Consulate nor U.S. Embassy officials met Christian at the border, even after being notified in advance of his arrival details.
With their release, all 21 volunteers abducted from the Handala in international waters have now been released from Israeli captivity.
SOS! The crew on ‚Handala‘ have been kidnapped by Israeli forces.
Chris Smalls is a citizen of the U.S.
Tag the U.S. Department of State NOW:
X: @StateDept and @SecRubio
FB: @U.S. Department of State
Instagram: @statedept @secrubio
Black Lives Matter Grassroots demands:
– The immediate release of Chris Smalls and all captured activists.
– The immediate end to the engineered famine and deliberate starving of the people in Gaza.
– An end to labor complicity with genocide.
We are asking all workers and people who believe in working class power to:
– Call the state department and demand the release of all those captured on the Freedom Flotilla.
– Email your Congressmembers asking them to demand the release of our people.
– Actively boycott pro-Israel companies.
– Pass resolutions and make official statements calling for an end to the genocide in Palestine.
– Raise awareness to the deliberate mass starvation, engineered famine, and genocide by making posts, engaging in political education, and disrupting spaces of complicity.
Meanwhile, there’s not a peep from mainstream media in the U.S.
(July 21, 2025)
Amazon Labor Union leader Chris Smalls is on the ‚Handala‘, the 37th ship to challenge Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza. Amazon has invested billions in intelligence like the Nimbus project, used for the surveillance and targeting of Palestinians.
Chris shares that “…an injury to one is injury to all,” calling on labor unions worldwide to fulfill their responsibility: to be the shield for the working class, which includes protecting Palestinian people, and urges unions to stop their shipments of arms to Israel, fuelling their genocide in Gaza.
“We come with baby food, toys, medicine, and hope — not just for Gaza, but for the future of our children in America back at home. The world is watching.”
Ange Sahuquet (France)
Ange Sahuquet is a French activist and engineer currently serving aboard the MV Handala, a ship sailing in solidarity with
Antonio La Picirella (Italy)
Antonio La Picirella was born in Bari in 1990 and raised within the social justice movements of Southern Italy.
Antonio Mazzeo (Italy)
Teacher, peace researcher, and journalist committed to peace, militarization, the environment, human rights, and the fight against mafia crime.
Bob Suberi (United States)
First generation Palestinian Jew, I was born in Los Angeles in 1948. My parents immigrated in 1938/39.
Braedon Peluso (United States)
Braedon Peluso is a seasoned sailor with over a decade of experience at sea, much of it dedicated to activism
Chloé Fiona Ludden (United Kingdom – France)
Chloé is a former United Nations staff member and scientist. She resigned from the UN to join the Freedom Flotilla
Christian Smalls (United States)
Christian Smalls is the founder of the Amazon Labor Union, the first independent, democratic, worker-led labor union in American History
Emma Fourreau (France – Sweden)
Emma Fourreau (born 1999 in France) is a French-Swedish politician, environmental activist and member of La France Insoumise (LFI).
Frank Romano (United States – France)
DR. FRANK ROMANO earned a PhD at University of Paris I, Panthéon Sorbonne, and a JD at Golden Gate University,
Gabrielle Cathala (France)
My name is Gabrielle Cathala, I am 33 years old. I was elected as a Member of Parliament
Hatem Aouini (Tunisia)
Hatem Aouini, 50 years old, Tunisian, Father of Nidhal 20 years and to Yasmine 13 years, is an Internationalist activist;
Huwaida Arraf (United States)
Huwaida Arraf is a Palestinian-American civil/human rights attorney and social justice activist. She has been involved in legal, political, …
Jacob Berger (United States)
Jacob Berger is a 40 year old tv/film actor, viral content creator and Jewish-American activist very active in the Palestinian..
Justine Kempf (France)
Justine Kempf worked as a nurse for Doctors Without Borders during a mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, …
Mohamed El Bakkali (Morocco)
Mohamed El Bakkali is a journalist with Al Jazeera, originally from Morocco and currently based in Paris.
Robert Martin (Australia)
Robert Martin knew the only way to uncover the truth was to go to Palestine and see it for himself.
Santiago González Vallejo (Spain)
Born, Madrid, 1956. Economist by profession, former trade unionist, now retired. Co-founder of the Committee for Solidarity with the Arab …
Tan Safi (Australia)
Tan was born in Gadigal country to parents who fled Lebanon after surviving the Israeli invasions in the 70s …
Vigdis Bjorvand (Norway)
Vigdis Bjorvand is a 70-year-old activist from Norway whose unwavering commitment to justice has spanned nearly five decades.
Waad Al Musa (United States – Iraq)
Waad Aal Musa is an Iraqi-American journalist and accomplished cameraman currently working with Al Jazeera.
Ange Sahuquet (France)
Ange Sahuquet is a French activist and engineer currently serving aboard the MV Handala, a ship sailing in solidarity with
Antonio La Picirella (Italy)
Antonio La Picirella was born in Bari in 1990 and raised within the social justice movements of Southern Italy.
Antonio Mazzeo (Italy)
Teacher, peace researcher, and journalist committed to peace, militarization, the environment, human rights, and the fight against mafia crime.
Bob Suberi (United States)
First generation Palestinian Jew, I was born in Los Angeles in 1948. My parents immigrated in 1938/39.
Braedon Peluso (United States)
Braedon Peluso is a seasoned sailor with over a decade of experience at sea, much of it dedicated to activism
Chloé Fiona Ludden (United Kingdom – France)
Chloé is a former United Nations staff member and scientist. She resigned from the UN to join the Freedom Flotilla
Christian Smalls (United States)
Christian Smalls is the founder of the Amazon Labor Union, the first independent, democratic, worker-led labor union in American History
Emma Fourreau (France – Sweden)
Emma Fourreau (born 1999 in France) is a French-Swedish politician, environmental activist and member of La France Insoumise (LFI).
Frank Romano (United States – France)
DR. FRANK ROMANO earned a PhD at University of Paris I, Panthéon Sorbonne, and a JD at Golden Gate University,
Gabrielle Cathala (France)
My name is Gabrielle Cathala, I am 33 years old. I was elected as a Member of Parliament
Hatem Aouini (Tunisia)
Hatem Aouini, 50 years old, Tunisian, Father of Nidhal 20 years and to Yasmine 13 years, is an Internationalist activist;
Huwaida Arraf (United States)
Huwaida Arraf is a Palestinian-American civil/human rights attorney and social justice activist. She has been involved in legal, political, …
Jacob Berger (United States)
Jacob Berger is a 40 year old tv/film actor, viral content creator and Jewish-American activist very active in the Palestinian..
Justine Kempf (France)
Justine Kempf worked as a nurse for Doctors Without Borders during a mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, …
Mohamed El Bakkali (Morocco)
Mohamed El Bakkali is a journalist with Al Jazeera, originally from Morocco and currently based in Paris.
Robert Martin (Australia)
Robert Martin knew the only way to uncover the truth was to go to Palestine and see it for himself.
Santiago González Vallejo (Spain)
Born, Madrid, 1956. Economist by profession, former trade unionist, now retired. Co-founder of the Committee for Solidarity with the Arab …
Tan Safi (Australia)
Tan was born in Gadigal country to parents who fled Lebanon after surviving the Israeli invasions in the 70s …
Vigdis Bjorvand (Norway)
Vigdis Bjorvand is a 70-year-old activist from Norway whose unwavering commitment to justice has spanned nearly five decades.
Waad Al Musa (United States – Iraq)
Waad Aal Musa is an Iraqi-American journalist and accomplished cameraman currently working with Al Jazeera.
Joining the Advisory Council are labor leaders, nonprofit leaders, students, scientists, artists, commentators, and elected officials including:
– Amaya Wangeshi — Founder of Beyond Bernie, former volunteer national high school director Bernie 2020
– Chase Iron Eyes — Co-founder of the Last Real Indians
– Cheng-Sim Lim — Board member of Healthcare for All LA, national Bernie Delegate
– Chris Smalls — Founder of The Congress of Essential Workers, led national-reported Amazon warehouse walkout
– Dr. Cornel West — Public intellectual, Harvard professor, author, co-host of The Tight Rope Podcast
– Eleanor Goldfield — Activist, singer, writer, host of Act Out!, creator of Art Killing Apathy
– Eynelys García — Host of the Eynelys Show and YRLA
– Jimmy Dore — Host of The Jimmy Dore Show, host of several Comedy Central Specials, political comedian
– Justin Jackson — NFL running back, LA Chargers
– Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap — National Director, Move to Amend
– Maebe A Girl — Silver Lake Councilwoman, first drag queen elected to public office in the U.S.
– Medea Benjamin — Co-founder of Code Pink
– Mike McCorkle — Former chair of the Progressive Democrats of Colorado, lawyer, national Bernie delegate
– Rep. Mike Sylvester — Maine State Representative, endorsed by DSA
– Omar Fernandez — President of the American Postal Workers Union of VT, executive council member of the VT AFL-CIO
– Dr. Peter Kalmus — Climate scientist, author, Bernie 2020 surrogate
– Ron Placone — Host of Get Your News on with Ron, political comedian
– Rose McGowan — Cultural Resetter, Time Magazine Person of the Year, founder of the Rose Army, NYT bestselling author
– Ryan Knight — Host of the Amped Up Podcast, Medicare for all advocate
– Susan Sarandon — Academy-award winning Actress, nominated for nine Golden Globes, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, activist