All eyes on Sumud Flotilla journey to Gaza and US diplomacy 

American Muslims along with peace-loving people everywhere must pressure US government to allow safe passage for the flotilla, end weapons transfers to Israel, and press for a permanent ceasefire

*Shabana Ayaz

ANKARA, Turkiye (MNTV) – – The Global Sumud Flotilla, now sailing toward Gaza with food and medicine, is a test of American diplomacy and sincerity toward humanity. U.S. intervention could force Israel to allow the ships safe passage along Gaza’s shores, offering relief to starving families and signaling that Washington still cares about international law.

Whether the flotilla succeeds or fails will depend largely on American will. For months, the United States has supplied Israel with weapons and diplomatic cover while famine spread and tens of thousands died. If Washington insists on safe passage, it would mark the first real sign that U.S. power can be used to save lives instead of enabling destruction.

The U.S. is Israel’s indispensable ally, sending $3.8 billion in annual military aid and providing cover at the United Nations. Those tools are the very leverage needed to end the siege — but they remain unused.

President Donald Trump himself has admitted that Israel is “fast losing public support,” in both Congress and across the country. He acknowledged that its public relations have collapsed. Yet his administration continues to defend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and authorize weapons shipments. The contradiction is glaring: America knows the war is a political and moral liability, but it refuses to act.

American universities and city streets have become the front lines of dissent. Students from Columbia to UCLA chant, “No more genocide with our tax dollars.” Demonstrators camp outside government buildings, demanding an end to arms transfers.

Public opinion confirms this shift. A Gallup poll this summer found that only 32% of Americans approve of Israel’s military campaign, the lowest on record. Among Democrats, the figure drops to just 8%. Still, the Trump administration stands firm in its support, showing how wide the gap has grown between policymakers and the public.

The numbers from Gaza are staggering. Since October 2023, more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed, most of them women and children. The health authorities warn the true toll could be far higher, with bodies still buried under rubble. Nearly 2.2 million people — 90% of Gaza’s population — have been displaced, often multiple times.

Starvation is now widespread. By September 2025, at least 332 Palestinians, including 150 children, had died of hunger. The World Food Programme reports that half a million people are in famine-like conditions, with nearly 40% of the population going days without food. Life expectancy has collapsed by more than three decades.

War across region

Israel’s campaign has not been confined to Gaza. It has struck targets in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran Tunisia and lately Qatar also.  On Sept. 9, it bombed Hamas leaders in Doha, making Qatar — a U.S. ally that hosts a major American base — the seventh country attacked. The assault drew global condemnation and raised urgent questions about Washington’s silence. If America cannot protect its closest partners, what is the meaning of this alliance?

The Global Sumud Flotilla is more than a convoy of 50 ships from 44 countries carrying 5,000 tons of aid. It is a moral challenge. Figures such as Greta Thunberg, Mandela Mandela and members of the European Parliament have joined the mission, highlighting global frustration with the blockade.

Israel has already shown hostility. A drone strike hit the Family Boat near Tunisia. The memory of the 2010 Mavi Marmara raid, where nine activists were killed, still lingers. Without U.S. pressure, history may repeat itself.

By demanding that Israel let the flotilla dock safely, the Trump administration could show the world that American power is not only used for war. It would also demonstrate that Washington’s calls for humanitarian values are more than rhetoric.

The United States now faces a defining choice. It can continue arming Israel and vetoing ceasefire resolutions while famine spreads, or it can finally use its leverage to halt the bombardment, lift the blockade, and open humanitarian corridors.

Trump has acknowledged Israel’s growing isolation. But his administration still fuels its war. The question is whether America will remain complicit — or step forward to save lives and restore a shred of its moral authority.

For American Muslims along with peace-loving people everywhere the crisis is not distant. It is a moral test. They must pressure their government to demand safe passage for the flotilla, end weapons transfers to Israel, and press for a permanent ceasefire.

History will not remember the speeches or excuses. It will remember whether the U.S. used its leverage to stop genocide or continued supporting forces that starve Gaza.

*Shabana Ayaz is a Pakistani journalist, currently based in Ankara, Turkiye