The Global Sumud Flotilla is Mere Days from Gaza

Keep your eyes on deck of this 46 country flock of activists, artists, and journalists as they risk their lives to break the illegal siege and abhorrent genocide in Palestine.

Just some urgent thoughts from our Editorial Director: Sophia Stopper

September 28, 2025

We have seen many boats try to break the illegal siege on Gaza for years. This is not a new effort. But this time is different. The amount of boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla is more than all the other efforts combined. We have seen the people unify across countries, boundaries, and borders. It is a guttural kind of hopeful anxiety watching these superheroes make something from a bunch of broken down old boats.

Greece escorted the Freedom Flotilla safely through their territory’s waters, but now what? Spain sent a naval ship, Italy is pulling back. No one wants to start World War III. But what can we do when a population is being starved to death and bombed out of existence? An undeniable genocide. Even Bernie Sanders is saying it’s genocide now. The people can rise up against the corrupt and make change. It’s all in our history books.

All we can say here, at The Neighbors, is our hearts go out to all of Palestine and everyone onboard of the Global Sumud Flotilla. Follow the ships’ progress here: globalsumudflotilla.org. And talk to your friends about it. Follow @globalsumudflotilla for updates on their progress, follow @thiagoavilabrasil who is part of the steering committee of the Global Sumud Flotilla and was also on the Madleen months ago when it was just one boat sailing to Gaza.

Here’s a song from Charlie Arsenault and Phie Stopper singing the chorus of “Rubble to Rubble” while they lived together when The Neighbors was only a few months old. We hope everyone on the Flotilla gets off the boat safely, just like the song says.