US veterans join Gaza-bound flotilla challenging Israeli blockade
The convoy, organized by the International Committee to Break the Israeli Siege of Gaza, is the largest of its kind to date
NEW YORK, United States (MNTV) — A group of American military veterans has joined an international flotilla headed for Gaza, lending their voices to a campaign demanding that the United States end its support for Israel’s military offensive and blockade of the Palestinian territory.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail from ports in Tunisia and Greece this week, said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) that eight U.S. veterans were aboard, “defying the same war machine they once served.” Organizers described their participation as a shift from “fighting wars of empire to fighting for the oppressed.”
“Across the United States, citizens are calling out complicity, demanding an arms embargo, and organizing for justice,” the flotilla said. “These veterans remind us that solidarity means action, and that true service is standing with the people of Palestine.” The group added that the veterans were sailing with a clear message: “End genocide, end complicity, and free Palestine.”
The convoy, organized by the International Committee to Break the Israeli Siege of Gaza, is the largest of its kind to date. Several vessels have been gathering near Malta since Sept. 13, preparing to sail together toward Gaza’s shores in an attempt to deliver humanitarian aid and challenge Israel’s 17-year blockade.
The flotilla’s mission comes as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens under months of Israeli bombardment and near-total closure of all crossings. Local health authorities report that more than 65,000 Palestinians — most of them women and children — have been killed since October 2023. International aid agencies warn that famine and disease are spreading as food, medicine, and clean water run out.
Israel says its blockade is aimed at weakening Hamas, which governs Gaza, but experts argue that the policy amounts to collective punishment of the enclave’s 2.3 million residents. Organizers of the flotilla say they want to draw attention to the plight of civilians and urge governments, particularly the United States, to press for an immediate cease-fire and unrestricted humanitarian access.
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