Tunisia

Prominent members of Tunisia’s political opposition have announced they will be joining a collective hunger strike in solidarity with jailed politician Jawhar Ben Mbarek, whose health they say has severely deteriorated after nine days without food.

Ben Mbarek, the cofounder of Tunisia’s main opposition alliance, the National Salvation Front, launched a hunger strike last week to protest his detention since February 2023.

Ben Mbarek’s father, veteran activist Ezzeddine Hazgui, said during a news conference in the capital Tunis on Friday that his son is in a “worrisome condition, and his health is deteriorating”.

Hazgui said his family would launch a hunger strike in solidarity with his jailed son.

“We will not forgive [Tunisian President] Kais Saied,” he added.

The leaders of Tunisia’s major opposition parties also declared on Friday that they would go on hunger strike in solidarity with Ben Mbarek.

Among them is Issam Chebbi, the leader of the centrist Al Joumhouri (Republican) Party, who is also behind bars after being convicted in the same mass trial as Ben Mbarek earlier this year. Wissam Sghaier, another Al Joumhouri leader, said some party members would follow suit.

Rached Ghannouchi, the 84-year-old leader of the Ennahdha party, who is also serving a hefty prison sentence, announced he was joining the hunger protest.

Ghannouchi was convicted in July of “conspiring against state security”, adding to previous convictions, including money laundering, for which he has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison and for which he claims innocence.

A post on his official Facebook page said Ghannouchi’s hunger strike sought to support Ben Mbarek, but he was also taking a stand to defend “the independence of justice and freedom in the country”.

Ben Mbarek was sentenced in April to 18 years behind bars on charges of “conspiracy against state security” and “belonging to a terrorist group”, in a mass trial slammed by human rights groups as politically motivated.

Rights groups have warned of a sharp decline in civil liberties in the North African country since Saied won the presidency in 2019.

A sweeping power grab in July 2021, when he dissolved parliament and expanded executive power so he could rule by decree, saw Saied jail many of his critics. That decree was later enshrined in a new constitution – ratified by a widely boycotted 2022 referendum – while media figures and lawyers critical of Saied have also been prosecuted and detained under a harsh “fake news” law enacted the same year.

Most recently, lawyer and outspoken Saied critic Ahmed Souab was sentenced to five years in prison on October 31 under Decree Law 54, as the legislation is known.

The Tunisian League for Human Rights said there have been “numerous attempts” to persuade Ben Mbarek to suspend his hunger strike, but he has refused, saying he is “committed to maintain it until the injustice inflicted upon him is lifted”.

Prison authorities denied on Wednesday that the health of any of its prisoners had deteriorated because of a hunger strike.

The Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK said questions have been raised regarding the prison administration’s compliance with laws governing medical care for detainees on hunger strike and the “safeguarding of their right to physical safety and human dignity”.

“Tunisian law explicitly stipulates the state’s responsibility to protect the life of any prisoner, even if that person chooses hunger strike as a form of protest,” the rights group said in a statement on Friday.

“The prison administration is therefore obliged to ensure appropriate medical care and regular monitoring,” it said, adding that Ben Mbarek’s protest reflects “a broader climate of political and social tension that transcends his personal situation”.

“His action represents a form of protest against detention conditions and judicial processes that many view as influenced by current political polarisation,” the group said.

“Ultimately, the case of Jawhar Ben Mbarek exposes a deeper crisis concerning respect for the rule of law and the principle of accountability,” it added.

يواصل أستاذ القانون الدستوري جوهر بن مبارك إضرابه المفتوح عن الطعام في محبسه منذ 29 أكتوبر الماضي داخل السجن المدني ببلي (ولاية نابل)، احتجاجاً على اعتقاله فيما يُعرف بقضية “التآمر على أمن الدولة”.

وتظهر المعطيات المتوفرة أن الحالة الصحية لبن مبارك تزداد هشاشة مع استمرار… pic.twitter.com/HrHwe14juE

— المنظمة العربية لحقوق الإنسان (@AohrUk_ar) November 7, 2025

Translation: Constitutional law professor Jawhar Ben Mbarek continues his open-ended hunger strike in his place of detention since October 29 inside the civil prison of Belli (Nabeul Governorate), in protest against his arrest in what is known as the “conspiracy against state security” case.

Available data show that Ben Mbarek’s health condition is becoming increasingly fragile with the continued complete abstention from food, which places his physical state in a critical phase requiring precise and constant medical monitoring.

A Tunisian court has sentenced Ahmed Souab, a lawyer and fierce critic of President Kais Saied, to five years in prison, his lawyer said, in a case that rights groups say marks a deepening crackdown on dissent in the North African country.

Defence lawyer Yosr Hamid said on Friday that her client had received an additional three-year sentence of “administrative supervision” after he was arrested in April following criticism of the legal process in a trial of prominent figures, including opposition leaders.

Souab’s trial on “anti-terror” charges lasted just seven minutes, according to Hamid, who voiced fears it sets a troubling legal precedent.

Hundreds of opposition figures, lawyers, journalists, trade unionists and humanitarian workers in Tunisia are being prosecuted for “conspiracy” or in connection with a “fake news” decree by authorities.

That legislation, Decree Law 54, has been criticised by rights activists, who are concerned over its broad interpretation by some courts.

Souab, 68, was not allowed to appear in court on Friday, declining to testify via videolink, according to Hamid. His legal team refused to enter a plea under the conditions.

Souab faces around a dozen charges related to the presidential decree on false information.

“The hearing lasted only seven minutes” before the judge retired to deliberate, Hamid told the AFP news agency on Friday.

He said there was a “lack of fundamental grounds for a fair trial” and that the decision to sentence after a one-day trial set “a precedent”.

Mongi Souab, the defendant’s brother, said authorities “prevented family members from entering” the court, criticising the brevity of the trial.

‘A dangerous escalation’

Souab was arrested in April after criticising the trial process for about 40 prominent figures, including opposition leaders, in a case related to “conspiracy against state security”.

Among those targeted in that case are figures from what was once the biggest party, Ennahdha, such as the leader and former Speaker of Parliament Rached Ghannouchi, former Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, former Minister of Justice Noureddine Bhiri, and Said Ferjani, a member of the party’s political executive.

Souab was one of the principal defence lawyers.

After a trial involving just three hearings, without closing arguments or defence pleas, Souab accused authorities of putting “a knife to the throat of the judge who was to deliver the verdict”.

An anti-terrorism court interpreted the comment as a threat to the judges, and he was detained over it, but Souab’s lawyers said it was a reference to the huge political pressure on judges.

Heavy prison sentences of up to 74 years were handed down to those accused in the “conspiracy” mega-trial. The appeal related to that trial is scheduled to take place on November 17.

Silencing dissenting voices

Several dozen people demonstrated outside the court on Friday, brandishing photos of Souab and chanting that the country was “under repression and tyranny”.

Several Tunisian and foreign NGOs have decried a rollback of rights and freedoms since Saied seized full powers in 2021 in what critics have called a coup.

Separately on Friday, Tunisian authorities ordered the suspension of the Nawaat journalists’ group, which runs one of the country’s leading independent investigative media outlets, as part of a widening crackdown.

The one-month suspension follows similar actions against prominent civil society groups such as the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights and the Association of Democratic Women, both known for defending civil liberties.

Authorities cited financial audits linked to foreign funding as justification, but rights advocates said the real aim was to silence dissenting voices.

The National Union of Tunisian Journalists condemned the suspension as “a dangerous escalation in efforts to muzzle independent journalism under an administrative guise”.

Founded in 2004, Nawaat carried out investigations on corruption and human rights abuses before and after the revolution. In a statement, it said it would not be “intimidated by the current political climate or campaigns of defamation”.

Thousands of people in southern Tunisia joined a rally demanding the closure of a state-run phosphate plant blamed for cancers, respiratory illnesses, and a mass poisoning that hospitalised more than 120 people.

Thousands of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa wait near the coast in Tunisia for an opportunity to make the treacherous voyage across the Mediterranean. Under an agreement signed with the European Union, the Tunisian government does what it can to stop them. NGOs and migrants accuse the Tunisian coastguard of deliberately sinking migrant boats at sea, leaving those on board to drown. Others say migrants are regularly bused out to the desert and abandoned. We investigate these allegations and meet the humans caught in the crossfire of a political battle over migration.

Mediterranean Sea – Everyone gathered on the top deck of a Global Sumud Flotilla vessel loaded with humanitarian supplies for Gaza and volunteers determined to deliver it.

Security protocols in case of an emergency were reviewed and put into action: life vests, head counts and designated muster points.

They were training for scenarios that could occur on any vessel – fire, someone falling overboard, collision.

But this training was different because there was another scenario.

The volunteers were instructed on how to raise their hands in the event that Israeli soldiers intercepted the vessel, boarded it and detained them. The focus is on acting in a nonviolent way, in accordance with their mission.

The flotilla was approaching the “yellow zone” after it departed from Sicily, Italy – the zone in international waters between Italy and Cyprus where Israeli attacks are possible – and it was time to practise how to act if an attack occurred.

‘Old propaganda strategy’

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently described the humanitarian flotilla, which is sailing to break the Israeli siege on the people of Gaza, as a “jihadi flotilla” and claimed it has ties to Hamas.

The so-called “Flotilla to Gaza” is openly backed by jihadi Hamas.

In Hamas’s own words: “We call for mobilizing all means to support the Global Steadfastness Flotilla heading to Gaza.”

This is not humanitarian. This is a jihadist initiative serving the terror group’s agenda. pic.twitter.com/vciWdnTswC

— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) September 18, 2025

Earlier this month, as the flotilla set sail from Spain, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced that he wanted to declare the humanitarian activists “terrorists” and detain them accordingly.

Flotilla steering committee member Saif Abukeshek, speaking to journalists online on Saturday, said such allegations are “psychological warfare” and added: “The propaganda is an old strategy.”

In the training, a coordinator tells the gathered group: “We have to decide collectively whether we will react or whether someone should intervene if soldiers begin to beat one of us.”

The question was met with silence but could not be avoided. Holding a bullhorn, the coordinator took the initiative.

“If I am dragged or beaten, I don’t want any of you to react or tell the soldiers to stop. Please respect my decision.”

The bullhorn was passed around. One by one, the volunteers repeated the words. By the third volunteer, the phrase had been reduced to two words: “the same”. All the volunteers echoed it.

The strategy was conceived to prevent further violence. Any reaction – even asking Israeli soldiers to stop – could provoke them to more violence.

One volunteer summed it up: “If you react or speak up while being beaten, you will not only put your own safety at risk but also that of the others – and you will break the will of the group.”

Another told Al Jazeera: “We know why we are here and the risks we have taken.”

Mental and physical pressures

The delays and challenges the flotilla has faced have taken a toll on its organisers and volunteers alike.

Drone attacks while at port in Tunisia, technical difficulties faced by boats ill-suited to the high seas and the general difficulties inherent in organising an underfunded civilian initiative to sail to Gaza have put pressure on everyone.

Every person on board also has to do a night watch, scanning the skies all night for more drone attacks while their companions rest.

When asked what keeps them going, each of them cites the urge to act to help the people of Gaza, who are suffering bombardments, starvation and loss as Israel wages war on them.

They know they are sailing into risky waters because Israel has intercepted all past flotillas, even killing 10 people on board the Mavi Marmara a decade ago.

The boats had set out for Sicily from Tunisia on Tuesday with a reduced number of people on board after hard decisions were made.

There were more people wanting to be on a flotilla boat than there was capacity on the vessels, especially as some boats failed technical inspections – the organisers worrying about their ability to cope with the unpredictable nature of the Mediterranean.

Lists were read in Bizerte, Tunisia. Crews were reshuffled among the boats, and tears flowed as volunteers who had forged strong emotional ties said their goodbyes.

Their part on board the mission was over for now, but their support for the flotilla bound for Gaza would continue on land.

Some talked to the coordinators to try to get their spots back. Others waited with their colleagues on the boats, helping out until they had to return to a hotel to await their flights back home.

“Please put this [Palestinian] flag somewhere on the boat. It has been in my friend’s window for years,” said Marcin, a Polish volunteer living in Norway who was among those cut from the crew list.

Eventually, everyone boarded their assigned ships and met their crews. All hands were on deck to clean and prepare the vessels for the next leg of the journey to Italy. Some of the volunteers have sailing experience, and others with no previous sailing experience learned quickly to help out.

After a few days in Italy, the boats have set out again, sailing through the yellow zone, getting ever closer to the red zone, where the danger multiplies 100 nautical miles (185km) from the Gaza shore.

And the drills continue.

The Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza has started sailing out of Tunisia. Al Jazeera’s Hassan Massoud is on board one of the vessels in the fleet aiming to challenge Israel’s blockade of the territory.

Departure of the flotilla from Tunisia to Gaza was delayed due to logistical issues.

The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) has begun sailing out of Tunisia, with organisers and participants saying they are determined to break Israel’s siege on Gaza and deliver urgently needed humanitarian aid.

The convoy departed from the northern port city of Bizerte with activists from more than 40 countries aboard. Its departure was delayed after two flotilla vessels came under attack earlier this week.

On Monday, the main ship Family was struck by a drone while docked in Sidi Bou Said, followed by an attack on the boat Alma on Tuesday night.

No casualties were reported in the attacks.

Al Jazeera’s Hassan Massoud, reporting from the Shireen Abu Akleh boat, said: “The global flotilla has set sail from the port in Tunisia to the Gaza Strip, its main destination, without any scheduled stops, 14 days after its departure from Barcelona.

“The ships are carrying food and humanitarian aid towards Gaza. Volunteers and participants have said this mission is non-violent; they only aim to open a corridor to deliver aid towards Palestinian people in Gaza.”

A number of prominent figures have joined the flotilla, including climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, Irish actor Liam Cunningham, and Barcelona’s former Mayor Ada Colau.

At least four Italian members of parliament are also taking part, alongside dozens of other elected officials and activists.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told parliament that Rome had urged Israel to respect the rights of its citizens aboard the flotilla, including parliamentarians.

“Our embassy in Tel Aviv, under my instruction, talked to the Israeli authorities about the respect of the rights for all the fellow citizens who are part of the flotilla, including among them several members of parliament,” Tajani said.

“I also called [Israeli] Foreign Minister [Gideon] Saar to personally make him aware of the matter.”

Tajani said 58 Italians are among the participants and would be provided consular and diplomatic assistance.

Organisers say the Global Sumud Flotilla, named after the Arabic word for “resilience”, represents one of the most determined challenges yet to Israel’s blockade of Gaza’s coastline.

The attempt comes as the United Nations warns that more than half a million Palestinians face catastrophic hunger, with aid groups and legal experts describing Israel’s war on Gaza as a genocide.

The attacks on the convoy follow previous incidents in which flotilla ships were intercepted or targeted at sea.

In early June, Israeli naval forces intercepted the aid vessel Madleen in international waters, seizing its aid cargo and detaining its crew of 12, while in May, another vessel, the Conscience, was hit by drones near Maltese waters, leaving it unable to continue.

Activists from 40 countries sail from Tunisia to defy Israel’s blockade and deliver aid to Gaza.

An international convoy of boats, the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), has set sail from Tunisia, aiming to defy Israel’s siege on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid.

The GSF, which departed Bizerte Port on Saturday, includes more than 40 vessels carrying between 500 and 700 activists from more than 40 countries, according to Anadolu.

Participants say they are determined to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza.

Among those joining is Franco-Palestinian lawmaker Rima Hassan, a member of the French National Assembly, who announced her participation after boarding in Tunisia.

“Our governments are responsible for the continuation of the genocide in Gaza,” Hassan wrote on X, accusing European leaders of silence in the face of Israeli attacks on aid convoys. In June, she joined another Gaza-bound boat that Israeli forces seized in international waters.

he flotilla is supported by prominent activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, who has long been vilified by Israeli officials for her solidarity with Palestinians.

The flotilla reported this week that two of its ships – the Family, which had members of the steering committee on board, and the Alma – were attacked while anchored near Tunis.

Activists suspect Israeli involvement, noting that one of the vessels was struck by a drone.

Tunisia’s Ministry of the Interior confirmed a “premeditated aggression” and said an investigation had been launched.

Despite the attacks, flotilla organisers insist they will press ahead. “Faced with this inaction, I am joining this citizens’ initiative, which is the largest humanitarian maritime convoy ever undertaken,” Hassan said.

History of intervention

This is not the first time Israel has moved to stop such missions.

In early June, Israeli naval forces intercepted the Madleen ship in international waters, seizing its aid supplies and detaining the crew of 12 activists. Another vessel, the Conscience, was struck by drones in May near Maltese waters, leaving it unable to continue its journey.

Organisers say the GSF – named after the Arabic word for resilience – represents one of the boldest challenges yet to Israel’s control of Gaza’s coastline.

The attempt comes as the United Nations warns of famine in Gaza, with more than half a million people facing catastrophic hunger.

Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia – Pro-Palestinian participants in the Global Sumud Flotilla, seeking to end the Israeli blockade of Gaza, are adamant that they will continue their mission, despite two attacks on their vessels this week.

Attacks on the vessels docked at Sidi Bou Said port in Tunisia from projectiles on Monday night and Tuesday night led to no casualties, but have shaken flotilla participants.

Organisers have blamed Israel for the attacks and said the boats were hit by drones. Tunisian authorities acknowledged the attacks but said no drones were detected, promising an investigation.

“We are definitely sailing to Gaza, there is nothing that will prevent us sailing to Gaza whatsoever,” said Tara Reynor O’Grady, a 55-year-old Irish human rights activist. “Don’t be distracted by the strikes, they are made to confuse people, then a lot of panic happens, a lot of false information goes around, but we are determined, we are clear and focused in the way we have to achieve our goal, which is to reach Gaza, break the siege and open a humanitarian sea corridor.”

Hundreds of volunteers had assembled on Wednesday at Sidi Bou Said, preparing to set sail. Boats had arrived from Spain on Sunday, with more vessels joining from Tunisia.

However, the flotilla, named after the Arabic word for perseverance, is yet to depart from Tunisia, with preparations continuing.

According to organisers, the plan is for a first wave of vessels – the ones in the best condition – to set sail together to a point in the Mediterranean Sea, where they will rendezvous with other boats departing from ports in Italy and Greece.

Meanwhile, several vessels are still expected to arrive in Tunisia from the first leg, which departed from Barcelona last week. Once repaired and stocked, these ships will form a second wave, departing after the first, meeting up with the rest of the flotilla, and setting course towards the Palestinian shores of the Gaza Strip.

Determined to continue

The attacks earlier this week hit two of the flotilla’s ships – the Family boat, which has had several members of the flotilla’s steering committee, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, on board; and the Alma.

Tadhg Hickey, an Irish comedian, writer and filmmaker who has been on board the Alma, told Al Jazeera that the attacks were “mere distractions”.

“As a team, we remain relaxed and focused on putting our comprehensive training into action, and first and foremost our primary goal of breaking the immoral, illegal siege of Gaza,” Hickey said.

The flotilla’s steering committee has insisted that the vessels will continue on their way to Gaza despite the attacks.

“Israel continues to breach international law and terrorise us. We will sail to break the blockade on Gaza no matter what they do,” one steering committee member, Saif Abukeshek, said.

Some flotilla participants have had to field anguished calls from family members worried about their safety.

“My mother found out about the attack while I was asleep, and she is really struggling,” said one volunteer, who insisted she would carry on to Gaza.

Meanwhile, other activists are worried that they may not be able to get a place on a vessel – with the number of people hoping to join the flotilla now exceeding the available places on participating ships – the exact number of which has been guarded for security reasons.

“I hope I can get a spot in one of the ships, but I think it’s going to be difficult,” said Andrea, a Mexican activist living in Austria.

Brittney Dzialo and her friend were travelling around Europe and looking to fly from Rome to Nice, France, when they made a huge mistake that left them miles away from where they thought they were

Throughout the history of travel, there have been countless instances where individuals have taken a wrong turn, boarded the wrong boat, wandered down the wrong street, or ended up on the wrong plane.

In the era before social media, such mix-ups were commonplace, but only those directly involved, their immediate circle, and their loved ones would be privy to these blunders.

Nowadays, a travel mishap can quickly become global news. This is precisely what happened to two American tourists who found themselves in Tunis, Tunisia, when they believed they were en route to Nice, France, reports the Manchester Evening News.

While Hamlet never said ‘Tunis or To Nice, that is the question’, it’s a query many are now posing to American TikToker Brittney Dzialo, who took to the social media platform to share her travel predicament.

The issue arose when she and a friend, while on a European tour, intended to fly from Rome, Italy to Nice on the French Riviera. However, due to a misunderstanding at the airport, they found themselves on a flight to Tunis, the capital city of Tunisia in Africa, according to Le Parisien.

As per their social media posts, the penny didn’t drop until they were seated on a Tunisair aircraft, ready for take-off.

Upon realising their error, they decided to go with the flow and enjoy the unexpected journey. Brittney later stated: “The airline employee misheard us and booked us a flight to TUNISIA, AFRICA instead of Nice, France.”

Upon landing in Tunis, a whopping 400 miles from their intended destination of Nice, the duo tried to rebook another flight and rectify the situation.

According to The Tab, the travellers made allegations about the airport staff after discovering they had to fork out for another plane despite having already paid for the original, mistakenly boarded flight.

They shared: “They are making us pay for a new flight, saying we can’t get on the next one tonight, everyone is rude, two men who are the supervisors yelled in my face, in tears.

“So as a last resort I had to bring out my bestie chat and found out about EU regulation and now they are taking us a bit more seriously so we can get to NICE asap.

“After the last supervisors said it was impossible to leave, I had a feeling to go try one more time and there was a new supervisor in there instead of the man that yelled at me.

“I cried to her and she saw how stressed, tired, and defeated I was and got us on a flight (that we had to pay for) and had the captain hold the entire plane for us.”

After publicly sharing their blunder and incorrectly referring to Africa as a country rather than a continent, the pair were inundated with both sympathetic and unsympathetic comments.

One person offered some comfort, stating: “Honestly of alllllll the places in Africa you could have ended up, Tunis is actually very close to Nice.”

Another retorted: “Did no one read the sign AT THE GATE? ? ?”.

The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), bound for the Gaza Strip, says a drone struck its main ship in the Tunisian port of Sidi Bou Said, causing a fire, but that all its passengers and crew were safe.

A spokesman for the GSF blamed Israel for the incident, which occurred late on Monday, but the Tunisian National Guard said reports of a drone attack were “completely unfounded”.

The agency instead suggested that the fire was caused by a cigarette butt or a lighter setting a life jacket ablaze.

The GSF, however, insisted the incident was a drone attack and said it would provide more details on Tuesday morning.

There was no immediate comment from Israel.

The GSF comprises more than 50 boats, heading for Gaza to break the Israeli siege on the war-battered and famine-stricken Palestinian territory.

According to the GSF, the incident on the Family Boat, which is sailing under a Portuguese flag and carrying the group’s steering committee members, took place at 11:45pm on Monday. There were six people on the boat at the time of the drone attack, and some of the passengers quickly extinguished the fire.

All crew members are safe, it said in a statement.

The fire caused damage to the ship’s main deck and below-deck storage, it said.

‘Huge explosion’

The GSF posted multiple videos on social media that it said showed the moment the attack took place.

One video, taken from another vessel near the Family Boat, showed an incendiary device falling on the boat, causing an explosion. Another video, captured on the Family Boat’s security cameras, shows crew members looking up and jumping back before an explosion.

Miguel Duarte, who was on board the Family Boat and witnessed the attack, told the Middle East Eye that he saw a drone hovering over the vessel before it dropped an explosive device.

“I was standing in the back part of the ship, the aft deck, and I heard a drone,” Duarte said in the video posted online by MEE.

“I saw a drone clearly about 4 metres [13 feet] above my head. I called someone. We were looking at the drone, just above our heads, really,” he recounted.

The drone stopped close to the two crew members, then moved slowly to the forward deck of the ship, and dropped what was “obviously a bomb”, he said.

“There was a huge explosion, lots of fire, big, big flames … We could have been killed,” Duarte added.

Members of the GSF held Israel responsible for the attack, noting the Israeli military’s past assaults on ships bound for Gaza.

“There is no other authority that would do such an attack, such a crime, except the Israeli authorities,” spokesperson Saif Abukeshek said in a video posted on the GSF’s official Instagram page.

“They have been committing genocide for the past 22 months, and they are willing to attack a peaceful, non-violent flotilla,” he added.

Tunisia’s National Guard, however, denied reports of a drone attack, saying on its Facebook page that initial investigations show the fire broke out in one of the life jackets on the ship “as a result of a lighter or cigarette butt”.

It added, “There was no evidence of any hostile act or external targeting.”

The GSF later announced it would hold a news conference at 10am local time on Tuesday (09:00 GMT) to update the media and the public about the attack.

The United Nations special rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese, who is taking part in the flotilla, said while details of the attack have to be verified, Israel has a long history of attacking Gaza-bound ships.

“If it’s confirmed that this is a drone attack, it will be an assault and aggression against Tunisia and against Tunisian sovereignty,” Albanese said.

“Again, we cannot keep on tolerating this and normalising the illegal.”

GSF says its mission will continue

Several flotillas have attempted to break the blockade of Gaza in the past.

In 2008, two boats from the Free Gaza Movement, founded in 2006 by activists during Israel’s war on Lebanon, successfully reached Gaza, marking the first breach of Israel’s naval blockade.

Since 2010, however, Israeli forces have intercepted or attacked all such flotillas in international waters, sometimes using deadly force. This includes Israel’s raid on the Mavi Marmara in 2010, during which its commandos killed 10 activists and wounded dozens of others.

There have been three attempts to break the Israeli siege of Gaza this year. The first one, organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was aborted in May after drones struck the Conscience ship off the coast of Malta. The FFC blamed the attack on Israel.

The other bids, on the Madleen and Handala, were intercepted by Israeli forces off the coast of Gaza in international waters, and activists were detained and deported.

The GSF organisers say the latest attempt is the largest maritime mission to Gaza, bringing together more than 50 ships and delegations from at least 44 countries. Its participants include Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela and French actress Adele Haenel.

The first convoy of the flotilla departed from Spanish ports on August 31 and arrived in Tunisia last week. The group was due to depart from Tunis on Wednesday.

Abukeshek, the GSF spokesman, said the flotilla is determined to continue the mission despite the attack.

“We will continue our preparation as soon as we make sure the ships are safe and the crew and the participants are safe,” he said.

“We will continue to break the siege on Gaza.”

FOR warm weather, beach resorts and mountain views, Tunisia is slowly becoming the hot new destination again.

The African country had been a popular spot with Brits for years up until the attack in Sousse 10 years ago – but numbers reveal it is rising in popularity once again.

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Tunisia has so much to offer for an autumn or winter break for Brits wanting sun, sea and sand.

In November, you can easily laze about on a beach in Tunisia as temperatures can still reach at 20C.

The most popular beaches in Tunisia include Hammamet which is known for its long sandy shores and Sousse, a lively resort town.

Ten years ago, the attack at the Bardo Museum in Tunis followed by the one on the beach resort in Sousse, resulted in plummeting bookings for Brits heading to Tunisia.

Now, statistics have revealed that holidaymakers are returning to the country in similar numbers.

Foreign arrivals to Tunisia have jumped by nearly 10 per cent this year compared with 2024, reaching 5.3 million through July 20, according to the National Tourism Office.

The government hopes to attract 11 million visitors by the end of the year – which is a million more than in 2024.

Back in 2014, there were 7.1 million tourists visiting the country, one year later in 2015, that dropped to 5.3 million.

The capital of Tunisia is Tunis, and is found on the northeastern coast.

Visitors to the city will find an ancient Medina and Roman Mosaics as well as plenty of bars and restaurants.

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Just outside of the capital is the pretty town of Sidi Bou Said which has a completely different feel with white coloured houses and cobbled streets.

It has lots of al fresco eateries and small art galleries with a marina on a sandy beach.

One writer visited the town last year and treated herself to a three-course meal for £10.

She also bumped into friendly locals and saw Ottoman-inspired architecture.

On a recent trip to Tunisia, Head of Sun Travel Lisa Minot explored the island off the coast called Djerba.

Lisa said that one thing she noticed was that it had an uncanny resemblance to the Greek islands.

Like Mykonos and Santorini, Djerba has vibrant pink bougainvillaea and white-washed buildings with blue window shutters and doors – unlike Greece, coffee costs 25p.

Lisa said: “Relatively undiscovered by us Brits, Djerba is a great-value option for those looking to explore beyond the Med favourites.

“Sizzling in summer, temperatures remain high all the way through to November and rarely dip below the 20Cs, even in the depths of winter, making it ideal for out-of-season sunshine.“

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The island is a great place to explore for any fans of Star Wars as the small town of Erriadh was used as a filming location.

Back on the mainland, the city of Tataouine was said to have inspired the location for Star Wars with its desert look and unique house exteriors.

George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, even called his fictional planet, Tatooine.

EasyJet runs flights to Tunisia from multiple airports across the UK – one-way flights from London Southend to Enfidha in November are as cheap as £26.

It launched year-round flights to the island of Djerba from both London Luton and Manchester with one-way flights starting from £35 in November.

EasyJet even runs multiple tours from Djerba, over the ancient Roman Road that crosses the sea to southern Tunisia. 

TUI also offer all inclusive holidays to Tunisia, as do Thomas Cook and On the Beach to name a few.

Read more on Sun Travel’s favourite TUI holidays from African beach resorts to European bucket list hotels.

Plus, discover the other two African destinations that Brits are heading to rather than Europe.

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Tunisia’s General Labour Union (UGTT) is poised to take on President Kais Saied in a protest scheduled for August 21.

The union called for a protest against what it says are government attempts to undermine workers’ rights, and the use of intimidation to curb strikes, referring to a three-day UGTT transport strike at the end of July.

Since he seized power on July 25, 2021, Saied has radically undermined the role of parliament and political parties while granting himself vastly increased powers through a constitution revised according to his edicts.

Yet the UGTT’s ability to mobilise its hundreds of thousands of members stands as one of the few remaining counters to Saied, analysts say.

“The UGTT has always been more than just a trade union,” Hamza Meddeb of the Carnegie Institute, who has written extensively on the organisation, told Al Jazeera.

“It was established even before Tunisian independence, and played a significant role in achieving that,” he said of Tunisia’s liberation from France in 1956.

“Since then, it’s played both an economic role … as well as a political role, such as in 2015, when it was the principal force behind establishing the National Dialogue,” Meddeb continued, referring to a political crisis when the UGTT and three other civil society organisations helped prevent the collapse of Tunisia’s post-revolutionary democracy.

Inevitable confrontation

Matters reached a head between UGTT and Saied on August 7 when hundreds of Saied’s supporters rallied outside UGTT headquarters, accusing it of “corruption” and “squandering people’s money” after a three-day transport strike in late July paralysed much of the country.

The following night, Saied defended the anti-union protesters, repeating their calls for union “accountability” and stressing that, contrary to claims from both the UGTT and rights groups, his supporters had not intended violence.

“There are files that must be opened because the people are demanding accountability … so that their money can be returned to them,” Saied said in a video posted on the presidency’s official Facebook page.

Further confrontations between the president and the union were inevitable, but many analysts point to what they say is a union weakened by internal schisms and the threat to its decades-long monopoly on union power in Tunisia.

“For the past two years, the UGTT has been silent, certainly on the political side of things,” a political analyst who remained in Tunisia told Al Jazeera, on condition of anonymity.

“Saied even revised the labour code without consulting them,” they said of the May decision to change laws that affected many of UGTT’s members.

“Previously, making a decision on that scale without the UGTT would have been inconceivable,” he said.

A weakened union

Much of the UGTT’s relatively low profile lies in an internal rupture, prompted by its decision in 2021 to extend its board’s mandate from two to three terms, which is said to have splintered the union’s membership and undermined it.

“There are many in the UGTT who see the 2021 decision as a coup d’etat of the union’s own, which has really weakened the board’s decision to do anything,” Meddeb said.

“You also can’t avoid the fact that the financial situation across the country is getting much, much worse, which means that the core membership of the union – the state-dependent middle class – are also suffering, and are blaming a board they already have little faith in for that, too.

“So, when Saied calls it a ‘corrupt union’ … that makes sense to much of its membership,” Meddeb said.

“It’s also easy, [given its long history and close relationships with all of Tunisia’s past governments] for Saied to paint it as part of the country’s elite that has been holding its people back,” he concluded.

A rival union emerges

Moves to undermine the UGTT’s base are already under way.

On Monday, the government announced it would halt the longstanding practice of allowing union officials to receive their government salaries while on union business, with more such moves expected.

Saied is also said to be encouraging the rival Union of Tunisian Workers (UTT), which analysts such as author Hatem Nafti say could try to take advantage of any weakening of the bond between the UGTT and its membership, to boost its standing.

How successful that would be in light of the UTT leadership’s previous convictions on corruption charges, remained to be seen, he added.

That the UTT is ready to step into any breach left by the UGTT was clear last week, when it issued a statement accusing its rivals of what it said was the “defamation” of the president.

Nafti said that the government might also seek to halt the practice of deducting UGTT membership fees from state employees’ salaries at source before transferring the funds to the union, which would give UTT more hope of winning members away from UGTT.

“That Kais Saied would move against the UGTT was written from day one,” Nafti told Al Jazeera from Paris, where he now lives.

“Populism doesn’t allow any mediator between the leader and the people, so firstly, he got rid of rival political parties, then civil society and the media.

“Even the television networks that support him don’t show political programmes any more,” he said.

“The UGTT was the logical next step.”

A British holidaymaker has claimed she was sexually assaulted while parasailing in Sousse, Tunisia.

Michelle Wilson, 52, from Southport, Merseyside, says the parasail operator pressed himself against her and groped her mid-air during what should have been a thrilling ride.

Michelle had planned to go on a tandem parasail flight with a friend, but was told it was too windy in Tunisia that day and they would have to fly separately, each accompanied by an operator.

She said her friend went up first “and had a great time, with no problems”, noting there was plenty of distance between her friend and the operator.

However, Michelle’s own experience was very different.

The mum-of-three said:

“I could feel the back of my bikini bottoms being pulled and he was pulling the strap. He must have been tightening the harness to get me closer. His legs straddled around me, he had one hand up on the parachute, the other wasn’t. Then I felt him touch my leg.”

She continued: “He was groping me and moving back and forth into me and talking to me in Arabic. I felt him pressing against me. I kept arching my back.

“I felt violated and dirty and was scared. He was only a young lad, maybe around 20. It was a horrible experience and I was really scared. I felt helpless hanging in the air.”

Michelle burst into tears after landing and reported the incident to the water sports centre’s manager before going to the local police.

The £6,000 easyJet package holiday had been booked for Michelle, her 17-year-old daughter, her 16-year-old twin boys, and her daughter’s 17-year-old friend.

However, she said she felt unable to enjoy the rest of the trip after what happened.

She added: “As women you expect a bit of banter from men in these countries, but this wasn’t banter, it was a sexual assault.”

Michelle believes her alleged attacker has since been arrested, and that both her insurance firm and the Foreign Office are now involved in the case.

An easyJet spokesperson said:

“The safety and wellbeing of our customers is a priority, and we are continuing to support Ms Wilson. We are also liaising closely with our hotel partner to look into the reports.”

The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for Brits visiting popular holiday destination Tunisia, amid serious safety concerns in certain parts of the country

The Foreign Office has revised its travel guidance for a popular holiday hotspot.

Brits are being cautioned against “all but essential” travel to certain areas of Tunisia, a favourite destination for UK tourists thanks to its stunning coastlines, fascinating heritage, and budget-friendly appeal.

The North African country offers a lot as a holiday destination, from lively seaside resorts such as Hammamet and Sousse to discovering ancient Roman archaeological sites and colourful medinas.

However, owing to the security risks still present in the country, the Foreign Office has today refreshed its travel guidance, identifying forbidden zones that visitors should avoid, including several renowned historical sites.

READ MORE: Exact date tourists face Majorca chaos as airport comes to ‘total standstill’

The Foreign Office announced: “FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to within 20km of the Tunisia-Algerian border in El Kef and Jendouba Governorates, south of the town of Jendouba. FCDO no longer advises against travel to the archaeological site of Chemtou.”, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Security worries have persisted for Tunisia in recent years. In 2023, several terror incidents were plotted and executed by lone-wolf attackers potentially inspired by extremist groups, including a National Guard officer who was stabbed in Tunis’s Goulette district, a police officer who was knifed to death near the Brazilian Embassy, and a deadly shooting on Djerba island at a Jewish pilgrimage location, resulting in 3 security staff and 2 civilians losing their lives, with 10 wounded.

The Foreign Office has also issued a stark warning regarding the threat of terrorism in Tunisia. It reads: “There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.”

READ MORE: Holidaying mum complains of earache – then ends up in a comaREAD MORE: easyJet explains ‘different’ all inclusive holiday rules

The FCDO strongly advises against all travel to Western Tunisia, including the area bordering Algeria, due to the risk posed by cross-border terrorist activities and operations conducted by Tunisian security forces. Furthermore, the FCDO recommends avoiding all but essential travel to Southern Tunisia, including the region bordering Libya, because of the ongoing cross-border terrorist activities and conflict in Libya.

Additionally, the FCDO suggests that all but essential travel should be avoided within 75km of the Tunisia-Libya border, which includes areas such as Remada and El Borma, due to the heightened security risks in these regions.

First Arab woman to reach a Grand Slam final to take break from tennis as tours take their toll.

Three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur is taking a break from competitive tennis, the 30-year-old said in a social media post.

Tunisia’s Jabeur, the first Arab woman to reach a Grand Slam final, has struggled with her form in recent months, failing to get past the third round of a major this year.

The two-time Wimbledon finalist’s campaign came to a disappointing end at the All England Club last month as she retired from her first-round clash against Viktoriya Tomova, unable to continue after a long medical timeout.

The former world number two suffers from asthma and experienced breathing difficulties at this year’s Australian Open.

Jabeur, often called the “minister of happiness” for her cheerful personality, said she was not feeling truly happy on the court.

“For the past two years, I’ve been pushing myself so hard, fighting through injuries and facing many other challenges. But deep down, I haven’t truly felt happy on the court for some time now,” she said in a statement.

“Tennis is such a beautiful sport. But right now, I feel it’s time to take a step back and finally put myself first: to breathe, to heal, and to rediscover the joy of simply living.”

Jabeur, married to former fencer Karim Kamoun, has also been open about her wish to start a family.

“Thank you to all my fans for understanding. Your support and love mean the world to me. I carry it with me always,” she added.

Opposition leader Ghannouchi, ex-prime minister and former presidential aide sentenced amid President Saied’s crackdown on dissent.

A Tunisian court has handed jail terms to 21 high-profile politicians and former top officials, including opposition leader and ex-Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi, the Tunis Afrique Press (TAP) news agency reports.

The rulings on Tuesday are the latest move in President Kais Saied’s widening crackdown on critics and political opponents.

Ghannouchi, the leader of the Ennahdha party who has been in jail since 2023, was sentenced to up to 14 years in jail. Several others, including former Prime Minister Youssef Chahed and ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs Rafik Abdessalem Bouchlaka, were sentenced in absentia to 35 years.

Nadia Akacha, Saied’s former chief of staff, who was considered a close and influential aide to the president, was also handed a 35-year prison sentence in absentia, according to the TAP.

The charges against the defendants cover a wide range of alleged offences, including forming and joining a “terrorist” organisation and conspiring against internal state security.

On Tuesday, Bouchlaka, the former foreign minister, dismissed the sentences as unserious, saying that the Tunisian government has become a “mockery in front of the world with its immaturity, recklessness and craziness”.

“Sooner or later, this lying, deceptive coup regime will leave like the dictators, tyrants and fraudsters that left before it,” Bouchlaka wrote in a social media post.

Many opposition leaders, some journalists and critics of Saied have been imprisoned since he suspended the elected parliament and began ruling by decree in 2021 – moves the opposition has described as a coup.

Critics have accused Saied of using the judiciary and police to target his political opponents. Many warn that democratic gains in the birthplace of the Arab Spring in the years since the 2011 revolution that toppled longtime Tunisian leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali are being steadily rolled back.

Saied rejects the accusations and says his actions are legal and aimed at ending years of chaos and rampant corruption.

Ennahdha denies allegations against the group. The party had emerged as one of Tunisia’s largest after the 2011 uprising, and Ghannouchi led a power-sharing agreement with late President Beji Caid Essebsi to transition the country to democracy.

Last year, the Tunisian government closed down Ennahda’s headquarters in Tunis. Ghannouchi, 84, is already serving other jail sentences for charges that his supporters say are political.

In February, he was given a 22-year sentence for “plotting against state security”.

Ennahdha called the ruling “a blatant assault on the independence and impartiality of the judiciary and a blatant politicisation of its procedures and rulings”.

Sonia Dhamani, a fierce critic of President Kais Saied, has criticised him for practices against refugees and migrants.

A Tunisian court has sentenced Sonia Dhamani, a prominent lawyer and renowned critic of President Kais Saied, to two years in jail, lawyers have said, in a case that rights groups say marks a deepening crackdown on dissent in the North African country.

Dhamani’s lawyers withdrew from the trial after the judge refused to adjourn the session on Monday, claiming Dhamani was being tried twice for the same act.

The court sentenced Dhamani for statements criticising practices against refugees and migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.

Lawyer Bassem Trifi said the verdict was “a grave injustice”.

“What’s happening is a farce. Sonia is being tried twice for the same statement,” said lawyer Sami Ben Ghazi, another lawyer for Dhamani.

Dhamani was arrested last year after making comments during a television appearance that questioned the government’s stance on undocumented African refugees and migrants in Tunisia.

The case was brought under the nation’s controversial cybercrime law, Decree 54, which has been widely condemned by international and local rights groups.

Most opposition leaders, some journalists, and critics of Saied have been imprisoned since Saied seized control of most powers, dissolved the elected parliament, and began ruling by decree in 2021 – moves the opposition has described as a coup.

Saied rejects the charges and says his actions are legal and aimed at ending years of chaos and rampant corruption.

Human rights groups and activists say Saied has turned Tunisia into an open-air prison and is using the judiciary and police to target his political opponents.

Saied rejects these accusations, saying he will not be a dictator and seeks to hold everyone accountable equally, regardless of their position or name.

Earlier this year, the country carried out a mass trial in which dozens of defendants were handed jail terms of up to 66 years. Critics denounced the trial as politically motivated and baseless.

The defendants faced charges including “conspiracy against state security” and “belonging to a terrorist group”, according to their lawyers.

Among those targeted were figures from what was once the biggest party, Ennahda, such as the leader and former Speaker of Parliament Rached Ghannouchi, former Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, and former Minister of Justice Noureddine Bhiri.

Tunisia had been celebrated as perhaps the only democratic success of the 2011 “Arab Spring” revolutions, with strong political engagement among its public and civil society members, who frequently took to the airwaves and streets to make their voices heard.

The years that followed the revolution, which overthrew long-time autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, saw the growth of a healthy political system with numerous elections declared free and fair by international observers.

But a weak economy and the strengthening of anti-democratic forces led to a pushback, capped off by Saied’s dismissal of the government and dissolution of parliament.

ATLANTA — LAFC’s first foray into the FIFA Club World Cup was competitive, but ultimately a defeat.

LAFC hung around against English powerhouse Chelsea at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and had the match still in striking distance nearly the entire way, but lost 2-0 in its first of three group stage matches.

“Chelsea won, deservingly so,” LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo said. “I think we kind of clawed our way back into the game; I think we played a little better in the second half and maybe had the odd chance here or there to get the equalizer.”

The first competitive fixture between English and American clubs featured the mostly expected run of play, with Chelsea carrying most of the action and carving out nearly all of the afternoon’s clear-cut scoring opportunities. It was one-way traffic, and Chelsea broke through in the 34th minute when Pedro Neto beat LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris at his near post following a quick turn inside around defender Ryan Hollingshead.

LAFC soaked up the pressure as long as it could and defended well against continuous pressure for most of the game, a tangible positive for Cherundolo’s team to build on.

“I was quite happy with the way the team performed defensively,” he said. “I think out of the run of play we didn’t concede too much. I think we had things mostly under control, but conceded two transition goals which we didn’t look good on.”

Although it never really dictated terms, LAFC did create a few opportunities in the second half. Denis Bouanga forced a good save from Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez into a close-range save in the 57th minute, but a tight Chelsea defense held the fort long enough for Enzo Fernandez put the match away with a 79th-minute goal after taking down a Liam Delap cross and gliding it past Lloris.

“The higher up you go, the less opportunities you do get,” Cherundolo said. “You need to make sure those opportunities you do get are taken advantage of, or at least you’re making teams defend properly. I think a little bit of carelessness with the ball in the final third and the opponent’s half hurt us.”

Chelsea’s Liam Delap, right, and LAFC’s Aaron Long battle for the ball during Monday’s match.

(Mike Stewart / Associated Press)

In the big picture, this was as much a feeling out process as anything. Not just for LAFC in its first of at least three matches in this tournament, but for this tournament as a whole acting as something of a dress rehearsal for host cities before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The crowd itself was certainly not inspiring, just 22,167 in a cavernous stadium set to host five more matches in this tournament and eight next summer. It was a stark contrast from the 80,000 who filled the Rose Bowl for yesterday’s Paris Saint-Germain-Atlético Madrid match, and at times felt more like a preseason exhibition than a major competition despite sturdy efforts from a healthy LAFC’s 3252 supporter group camped behind one goal.

“I don’t know,” Cherundolo said. “I don’t know if there’s just more fans in Los Angeles that are into this tournament than here, or if it’s the pairing tonight, there’s a lot of things I just can’t answer.”

The sample size is small, though, with the sparse Atlanta crowd coming in just the sixth of 63 total matches in the event.

“I don’t think we should be talking about this right now,” he continued. “I think we should be waiting until the end of the tournament to make a more complete summary of what was going on and opinion on it as a whole, as opposed to right now and one game.”

One injury note did come out of the match when LAFC forward Nathan Ordaz left play in the 38th minute after Chelsea captain Reese James took him down with a hard foul on the left wing. James received a yellow card, and Ordaz went into concussion protocol.

“After that happened he just wasn’t quite himself,” Cherundolo said. “We’ll hope that he has a speedy recovery. As more information comes in I can give you more, but right now I don’t have an update.”

The setback broke LAFC’s run of 10 consecutive undefeated matches in all competitions, but it will have opportunities to regroup quickly. Group play continues Friday in Nashville, Tenn., against Tunisian club Espérance Sportive de Tunis before finishing out on June 24 with a match against Brazil’s Flamengo in Orlando, Fla.

Thousands of activists from across the globe are marching to the Gaza Strip to try to break Israel’s suffocating siege and draw international attention to the genocide it is perpetrating there.

Approximately 1,000 people participating in the Tunisian-led stretch of the Global March to Gaza, known as the Sumud Convoy, arrived in Libya on Tuesday morning, a day after they departed the Tunisian capital, Tunis. They are now resting in Libya after a full day of travel, but do not yet have permission to cross the eastern part of the North African country.

The group, which mostly comprises citizens of the Maghreb, the Northwest African region, is expected to grow as people join from countries it passes through as it makes its way towards the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza.

How will they do it? When will they get there? What is this all about?

Here’s all you need to know:

Who’s involved?

The Coordination of Joint Action for Palestine is leading the Sumud Convoy, which is tied to the Global March for Palestine.

In total, there are about 1,000 people, travelling on a nine-bus convoy, with the aim of pressurising world leaders to take action on Gaza.

Sumud is supported by the Tunisian General Labour Union, the National Bar Association, the Tunisian League for Human Rights, and the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights.

It is coordinating with activists and individuals from 50 countries who are flying into the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on June 12, so that they can all march to Rafah together.

Some of those activists are affiliated with an umbrella of grassroots organisations, including the Palestinian Youth Movement, Codepink Women for Peace in the United States and Jewish Voice for Labour in the United Kingdom.

How will they reach the Rafah crossing?

The convoy of cars and buses has reached Libya. After taking a brief rest, the plan is for it to continue towards Cairo.

“Most people around me are feeling courage and anger [about what’s happening in Gaza],” said Ghaya Ben Mbarek, an independent Tunisian journalist who joined the march just before the convoy crossed into Libya.

Ben Mbarek is driven by the belief that, as a journalist, she has to “stand on the right side of history by stopping a genocide and stopping people from dying from hunger”.

Once Sumud links up with fellow activists in Cairo, they will head to El Arish in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and then embark on a three-day march to the Rafah crossing to Gaza.

Will the activists face obstacles?

The convoy has yet to receive permission to pass through eastern Libya from authorities in the region. Libya has two rival administrations, and while the convoy has been welcomed in the west, discussions are still ongoing with authorities in the east, an official from the convoy told Al Jazeera on Tuesday.

The activists had previously told The Associated Press news agency they do not expect to be allowed into Gaza, yet they hope their journey will pressure world leaders to force Israel to end its genocidal war.

Another concern lies in Egypt, which classifies the stretch between El Arish and the Rafah border crossing as a military zone and does not allow anyone to enter unless they live there.

The Egyptian government has not issued a statement on whether it will allow the Global March to Gaza to pass through its territory.

“I doubt they would be allowed to march towards Rafah,” a longtime Egyptian activist, whose name is being withheld for their safety, said.

“It’s always national security first,” they told Al Jazeera.

If the convoy makes it to Rafah, it will have to face the Israeli army at the crossing.

Why did the activists choose this approach?

Palestine supporters have tried everything over the years as Gaza suffered.

Since Israel’s genocidal war began 20 months ago, civilians have protested in major capitals and taken legal action against elected officials for abetting Israel’s mass killing campaign in Gaza.

Activists have sailed on several humanitarian aid boats towards Gaza, trying to break a stifling blockade that Israel has imposed since 2007; all were attacked or intercepted by Israel.

In 2010, in international waters, Israeli commandos boarded the Mavi Marmara, one of the six boats in the Freedom Flotilla sailing for Gaza. They killed nine people, and one more person died of their wounds later.

The Freedom Flotilla kept trying as Gaza suffered one Israeli assault after another.

Israel’s current war on Gaza prompted 12 activists from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition to set sail on board the Madleen from Italy on June 1, hoping to pressure world governments to stop Israel’s genocide.

However, the activists were abducted by Israeli forces in international waters on June 9.

Will the Global March to Gaza succeed?

The activists will try, even if they are pretty sure they will not get into Gaza.

They say standing idle will only enable Israel to continue its genocide until the people of Gaza are all dead or ethnically cleansed.

“The message people here want to send to the world is that even if you stop us by sea, or air, then we will come, by the thousands, by land,” said Ben Mbarek.

“We will literally cross deserts … to stop people from dying from hunger,” she told Al Jazeera.

How bad are things in Gaza?

Since Israel began its war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, it has strangled the food and supplies entering the Palestinian enclave, engineering a famine that has likely killed thousands and could kill hundreds of thousands more.

Israel has carpet-bombed Gaza, killing at least 54,927 people and injuring more than 126,000.

Legal scholars previously told Al Jazeera the suffering in Gaza suggests Israel is deliberately inflicting conditions to bring about the physical destruction of the Palestinian people in whole or in part – the precise definition of genocide.

Global outrage has grown as Israel continues to kill civilians in thousands, including children, aid workers, medics and journalists.

Since March, Israel has tightened its chokehold on Gaza, completely stopping aid and then shooting at people lining up for what little aid it allows in, leading to rare statements of condemnation from Western governments.