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ORGANISERS of the Global Sumud Flotilla humanitarian mission have warned that the next 28 to 30 hours will represent the most critical and dangerous phase of the operation as the convoy approaches increasingly volatile waters en route to Gaza.
Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC) director-general Datuk Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby said the mission had now entered what organisers describe as the first layer of a “yellow zone”, signalling heightened security risks as the flotilla advances towards Palestinian waters.
The final sailing phase of the Global Sumud Flotilla, involving 54 vessels, officially departed from Marmaris Port in Türkiye at approximately 7.30pm Malaysian time yesterday.
The mission, involving nearly 500 humanitarian activists from 45 countries, is intended to challenge the blockade on Gaza and intensify international pressure over the humanitarian crisis in Palestine.
Sani Araby said SNCC had activated round-the-clock operations in anticipation of escalating threats.
“Now SNCC is operating 24 hours a day and at any moment we expect we may face various major risks.
“For now, we are not opening live broadcasts of the mission to the public until the time comes when we believe it is a critical moment. We will begin broadcasting to the public so that the people may bear witness, and the world may bear witness,” he told a press conference today.
According to SNCC, updated maritime security assessments have significantly altered the operational risk map for the mission, reflecting what organisers described as a far more tense and high-risk environment.
Under the revised classification, waters stretching from Marmaris to 30 nautical miles are designated as the Green Zone, while areas between 30 and 150 nautical miles fall within the Yellow Zone.
“Next, the route beginning from 150 nautical miles until entering Gaza waters is now categorised as the Red Zone, which carries the most critical level of security risk throughout this sailing mission,” Sani Araby said.
He added that the flotilla effectively entered the Yellow Zone immediately after departing Marmaris.
“For this mission, once we departed from Marmaris Port in Türkiye, we had already exited international waters and entered the yellow line.
“So, we estimate that within the next 28 to 30 hours, it will become an extremely challenging period for this mission,” he said.
Despite mounting concerns, SNCC said no reports had yet emerged of surveillance drones, hostile tracking or direct interference targeting the convoy.
“But we remain constantly prepared, especially if sabotage from underwater occurs,” Sani Araby said.
The mission carries significant symbolic weight as it coincides with the eve of the 78th anniversary of the Nakba on May 15, commemorating the mass displacement of Palestinians in 1948.
Organisers described the flotilla’s latest voyage as the beginning of a “second wave” of global advocacy aimed at breaking the blockade on Gaza through sustained diplomatic, humanitarian and legal pressure.
Sani Araby also announced that SNCC would unveil a large-scale strategic action plan today.
“The strategic plan involves public mobilisation, parliamentary advocacy, strengthening international diplomatic pressure, media solidarity movements, as well as global legal action to ensure that the issues of the blockade and humanitarian violations in Gaza and Palestine are brought to justice,” he said.
Malaysia is among the key countries backing the initiative alongside Türkiye, Spain and Brazil.
Of the nearly 500 participants, 29 are Malaysians comprising professionals from multiple sectors, including 11 medical officers, seven documentary crew members, and 10 ship crew and assistants.
Seven captains, organisers and technical personnel are also representing Malaysia in the mission.
SNCC further confirmed the participation of five vessels affiliated with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition in the operation.
Meanwhile, three Malaysian participants — Muhammad Aqill Asmadi, Mohd Zurimi Karim and Serieffa Mushtafa Albakry — have been instructed to return home to reinforce SNCC’s field operational strategy.
Malaysians have also been urged to continue supporting the mission through special prayers and Qunut Nazilah recitations, while relying solely on verified information disseminated through the official portal, tanya.sumudnusantara.com. - May 15, 2026
