Nelson Mandela’s grandson to join Global Sumud Flotilla in Tunisia

Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla, is set to join the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza in Tunisia and says his part in the protest is a continuation of his ‘family legacy’.

Mandela has told reporters that Palestinians face worse conditions than those his grandfather fought against. 

“Many of us that have visited the occupied territories in Palestine have only come back with one conclusion: that the Palestinians are experiencing a far worse form of apartheid than we ever experienced,” he said.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, which aims to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza, was on its way to Tunisia on Thursday. From there, it intends to connect with other flotillas across the Mediterranean to Gaza. 

The flotilla of several dozen boats aims to deliver food and humanitarian supplies to Gaza, where the Israeli-imposed blockade has caused at least 348 deaths due to starvation. 

Libyan ship Omar al-Mukhtar is scheduled to set sail on 6 September to join the flotilla, Libya Observer has reported. The vesse will carry a delegation of Libyan and international activists, along with participants from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Among them is British journalist and activist Yvonne Ridley, well-known for her longstanding advocacy for Palestinian rights.

Famine has been officially declared in Gaza by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), the UN-backed global hunger monitor. 

Pro-Palestine activists, including climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham are on the Sumud flotilla. Sumud is the Arabic term for "resilience".