THE genocide continues in Palestine. “Israel” continues its brutality. Yesterday, soldiers detained two children in the occupied West Bank for “spying.” When people suggested they let them go because they are so young, one of the soldiers said, “I don’t care.”

The Freedom Flotilla—more than 40 civilian boats with activists, lawyers, and parliamentarians—is steadily making its way to Palestine, carrying aid for the Palestinian people. At noon on Tuesday, September 30, it was 150 nautical miles away. Last week, the flotilla was attacked by “Israel”. A boat with medical professionals and journalists will join today. International journalists have been blocked, by “Israel,” from entering Gaza for the past two years. This dedicated boat aims to deliver desperately needed medical care and provide an opportunity for international journalists to report from Gaza.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, comprised is “a grassroots people-to-people solidarity movement composed of campaigns and initiatives from different parts of the world, working together to end the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza.” It is working to break the blockade of the Gaza Strip which has significantly contributed to the humanitarian crisis, denying Palestinian people access to food, medicine, and other health needs. It also aims to educate people all over the world about Gaza and the illegal blockade that increases the suffering of the Palestinian people, making Gaza more unlivable with each passing day. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition condemns and publicises “the complicity of other governments and global actors in enabling the blockade” and “[responds] to the cry from Palestinians and Palestinian organizations in Gaza for solidarity for breaking the blockade”.

After the flotilla experienced drone attacks and radio-jamming by “Israel,” Italy and Spain sent navy ships to accompany it. On Wednesday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said: “The government of Spain demands that international law be complied with and that the right of its citizens to navigate the Mediterranean under safe conditions be respected.”

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said, “Italian citizens, along with members of parliament and MEPs. To ensure their safety, the foreign ministry had already notified Israeli authorities that any operation entrusted to Israeli forces must be conducted in compliance with international law and the principle of absolute caution.”

“[…]We have now gone to a point where all of our human sensibilities are offended by the continuous and disproportionate attacks on the Palestinian people and the failure to allow access by the international community to the survivors for the provision of humanitarian aid.”

Yesterday, it was reported that Italy’s Defense Ministry would stop accompanying the flotilla at the 150 nautical mile limit to avoid “a diplomatic incident”. @globalsumudflotilla shared on Instagram that the Italian Naval Frigate would not only abandon the flotilla, but offer those on board the “opportunity” to return to shore. They said, “This is not protection. It is sabotage.” Expressing frustration with Italy’s decision, they said “[…]It escorts us only to the point of danger, peeling us away while Israel continues to slaughter and starve the Palestinian people with impunity.”

It is now more important than ever that everyone is not only attentive to the flotilla, but visibly attentive. Follow their accounts on social media, comment to help them show up in others’ feeds, and share their posts for wider reach. We do not need to be politicians or journalist to take action.

In her speech at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley referenced the violence in Sudan and Gaza. She said, “The survivors are entitled to use the words of Bob Marley - “How can you be sitting there telling me that you care? When every time I look around the people suffer in the suffering in every way, in everywhere.[…] The real tragedy of war is that these children, when they become grandparents will still be answering the innocent questions posed by their grandchildren as to how they lost their limbs. “Granny, how did you lose your leg?” And when they answer, we run the risk that the violence and hate will be perpetuated for another two to three generations. This is NOT good.”

Mottley noted that there are multiple crises in this moment, referencing the COVID-19 pandemic and human trafficking. She explicitly stated that the “bigger more insidious crisis” is “the crisis of truth.” Without shared truth, she said, scoring political points becomes a priority and “political tribalism” is the result. Mottley pointed to the loss of trust on various levels, from neighbours to international governance. Before drawing attention to the United Nations Charter and the need to reassess values, she talked about that way violence and hate are passed on from one generation to another, over and over again.

“It is happening now on our watch. We can and must do better to secure the peace - in the name of the children,” Mottley said. “At the very least the international community must immediately find the funding to support the children of Gaza and the children of Sudan for the next three months. In Gaza it is $66m that is needed and $200m for Sudan. This money is mostly nutrition related, to reverse or mitigate famine and also to provide water and sanitation and health interventions.”

“A lasting peace can never be achieved through violence; it can only be achieved through justice and dialogue - talking. And lest we forget, where others are seeking to build the peace and preserve humanity in Gaza, the international community must not condone the bombing of those states who look to facilitate peace.” Mottley continued, “The world is still in need of a reset. We must first and foremost decide whether we still agree on the same set of values that inform the Charter. As simple as it seems, this is a necessary step in any reset. For values have changed in many of our countries over the last 80 years. We cannot assume that it is business as usual.”