A group of 13 Brazilian activists has joined the Global Sumud Flotilla, an international maritime mission aiming to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, part of the Palestinian State. The flotilla, which brings together civil society organizations and activists from more than 40 countries, seeks to break the Israeli blockade that has restricted access to Gaza for nearly 18 years.
Bruno Gilga, coordinator and spokesperson for the Brazilian delegation, spoke with Radio BdF directly from aboard the Sirius. He highlighted the powerful departure ceremony, held on Sunday (31) in Barcelona, Spain. “It was historic, monumental, unforgettable. Everyone who has participated in previous missions says they’ve never seen a launch with such strength,” Gilga said.
According to him, this year’s flotilla is the largest ever organized. “This is a maritime, humanitarian, and non-violent mission of solidarity with Palestine, bigger than all previous missions combined,” he explained.
The situation in Gaza is dire: according to the United Nations, more than 2 million people face severe food insecurity amid Israel’s ongoing siege.
A humanitarian mission with political urgency
The Brazilian delegation includes activists Thiago Ávila, Bruno Gilga Rocha, Lucas Farias Gusmão, João Aguiar, Mohamad El Kadri, Magno Carvalho Costa, Ariadne Telles, Lisiane Proença, Carina Faggiani, Victor Nascimento Peixoto, and Giovanna Vial. Also onboard are the federal lawmaker Luizianne Lins, Mariana Conti, a city councilor from Campinas (affiliated with the Socialism and Liberty Party – Psol), and Gabrielle Tolotti, president of Psol in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
The flotilla’s immediate goal is to “establish a grassroots humanitarian corridor to Gaza and pave the way for a mission ten times larger,” Gilga stated. “Another important goal is to denounce the ongoing genocide and demand humanitarian rights for the Palestinian people.”
Risk of military interception
Despite the presence of lawmakers from various countries, including two from Brazil, the activists say they do not expect any negotiations with Israeli authorities. “We have no expectation of confrontation. This is a non-violent mission; we’re carrying humanitarian aid. The only aggression that could happen is an attack against this mission, which would violate international law and the will of millions around the world who support it,” Gilga said.
In June, another vessel from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition was intercepted by Israeli forces while heading to Gaza. Twelve passengers, including Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila — who is now participating again—were detained in international waters.
International complicity under fire
Gilga also criticized the complicity of governments that maintain diplomatic and commercial ties with Israel despite the ongoing humanitarian crisis. He specifically called out Brazil’s recent trade activity. “Unfortunately, Brazil’s oil exports to Israel have increased. Petrobras [Brazil’s state-controlled oil company] was named in the report ‘The Economy of Genocide’ as one of the companies operating in oil fields whose output was exported to Israel,” he noted.
The report Gilga referred to was published on June 30 by United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese. It details international complicity with Israel’s blockade of Gaza. According to the report, companies like BP and Chevron were responsible for about 8% of Israeli oil imports between October 2023 and July 2024. These figures were supplemented by oil shipments from Brazilian fields in which Petrobras is a majority stakeholder. However, the report clarifies that the final destination of the oil is determined by international distributors.
