France must recognise Israel's action as genocide, MP says 

French parliamentarian Marie Mesmeur, who is part of the Global Sumud Flotilla headed to Gaza to break the Israeli blockade, has told Anadolu news agency that she and other activists are "undeterred" by Israeli threats. 

Mesmeur, a member of the La France Insoumise party, has said the flotilla is “the largest peaceful popular initiative to support Palestinians in Gaza”. 

In an interview, she said the French President Emmanuel Macron must formally recognise Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide. She also said that France should prevent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from crossing its airspace, citing an ICC arrest warrant issued against him for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

“Over 40 ships, manned by participants, are appealing to their governments, which have taken negative stances on Gaza, to help the Palestinian people,” she said.

“Since governments have failed to act, activists are self-organising peaceful flotillas in dozens of boats, motivated by deep belief in aiding the Palestinian people,” she added. 

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 and head to Gaza. 

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".