International Voices Unite in Libya as Global Sumud Land Convoy Advances Overland to Break the Siege on Gaza [multilingual pdf]

May 16, 2026 ZALITAN — At a press conference held today in Zalitan, Libya, international human rights leaders and grassroots advocates united to declare that "Gaza is not alone" as the Global Sumud Land Convoy advances overland toward Rafah. Moving in tandem with the Global Sumud Flotilla at sea, the convoy’s speakers addressed the critical urgency of the mission, the complicity and participation of global governments, and the growing, unstoppable civil society movement to confront israel’s illegal siege and ongoing genocide in Gaza, and the 78 years of ethnic cleansing in occupied Palestine. 

The specialized, grassroots land convoy—comprising more than 30 vehicles, including 7 specialized ambulances and transport vehicles, as well as 20 mobile homes—carries over 200 participants representing more than 25 countries across North Africa and around the world.. The delegation includes a select group of professionals, including doctors, nurses, engineers, and builders ready to deploy critical skills alongside the Palestinian leadership upon arrival. 

Ahmed Ghaniya, Maghreb Sumud and GSF Steering Committee member, opened the press conference by outlining the strategic regional objectives of the initiative and expressing deep gratitude to the Libyan hosts and the Libyan Red Crescent as the convoy prepares to advance next to Sirte.

“We are here due to the urgent need of our brothers and sisters in Gaza for relief and aid, and to shine a spotlight on them, ” stated Ghaniya. “We are on clear paths, and whatever routes are designated for us, we will follow them. Our goal is clear: to reach Gaza and break the siege. ” 

Ahmet Aydan Bekar, a Turkish participant and veteran activist, delivered a deeply moving address reflecting on his experience aboard the Mavi Marmara during the deadly 2010 Freedom Flotilla raid, where he narrowly escaped death after being shot three times. 

“We are here to put an end to the injustice being inflicted upon our brothers and sisters in Palestine, for the sake of the thousands of children, women and men who have been massacred and continue to be killed. We are here to urge the world to uplift and amplify the voices of Gaza and do our best to try to break the illegal siege imposed upon it, ” Bekar said. 

He added: “No matter how difficult this path is, we will never abandon our people in Gaza. There are millions of people supporting us from their countries, and we remember them as our representatives. We will keep speaking out, we will keeptalking, and we will keep fighting for the oppressed everywhere. God willing, we will meet in Jerusalem.” 

Geraldine Ramirez, a Global Sumud Tunisia member and veteran civilian hand on solidarity missions, emphasized the critical geopolitical role of North Africa and called for the immediate release and acquittal of the "Sumud 7, " who remain unjustly imprisoned in Tunisia. 

“The Maghreb is a meeting point between Africa, Europe, and the Arab world, a place where international solidarity has united to create an unstoppable movement, ” Ramirez said. “These missions are not solitary actions. They are a coordinated, humanitarian, and powerful display of what everyday people are willing to do for one another. When ports are blocked, alternative routes must be found. Even when missions are obstructed, international solidarity must expand. It falls on the rest of the world to join the Maghreb in its efforts to stop the normalization of ethnic cleansing. ” 

Chief Nkosi Zwelivelile "Mandla" Mandela, Global Sumud Ambassador and former flotilla participant, closed the press conference by grounding the mission in the living legacy of African liberation, drawing a direct parallel between the principles that dismantled apartheid in South Africa and the global duty to act on Palestine today. He noted the profound timing of the gathering, occurring in the same month his grandfather, President Nelson Mandela, visited Libya in May 1990 immediately following his release from prison. 

“When we are called to duty, we take it upon ourselves as a responsibility to be a voice for the most vulnerable and oppressed nations around the globe, ” said Chief Mandela. “Through this land convoy, we can mobilize not just thousands, but hundreds of thousands and millions of people to join these initiatives so we can truly break the siege and enable much-needed humanitarian aid to reach our brothers and sisters who need it most in Gaza. ” He continued: “Amongst us, we have educators and teachers; we have doctors and nurses; we also have caravans ready to ensure that when we get to Gaza, we can immediately put schools and clinics into effect, and jumpstart the reconstruction and rebuilding of Gaza. This is our hope. We may be subjected to being intercepted or arrested, but we will never be silenced. We will continue mobilizing right across the globe until we realize a free Palestine. Ours is to ensure that this work continues until all Palestinian political prisoners are released, and until all Palestinians in the diaspora are given the right of return to the land of their forefathers. ” 

The press conference concluded with a collective reaffirmation from all speakers that civil society will remain relentless until the siege is broken and Palestine is free. 

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