JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Anti-Israel activists announced plans Thursday for what they claim will be the largest-ever civilian flotilla aimed at breaking Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, a move Israeli officials have dismissed as a provocative stunt likely to aid Hamas terrorists.

The so-called “Global Sumud Flotilla,” organized by a coalition including the grandson of former South African President Nelson Mandela, is scheduled to depart from Barcelona on March 29, with additional vessels joining from ports in Italy, Tunisia and elsewhere in the Mediterranean. Organizers say the convoy will include over 100 boats carrying more than 1,000 participants from around 100 countries, including doctors, educators, engineers, construction workers and self-described “genocide researchers.” A parallel overland aid convoy is also planned to depart from Asia, they added.

The announcement, made at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg, comes just months after Israeli forces intercepted a similar flotilla in October 2025, detaining over 450 activists without incident. That mission, which organizers hailed as a “historic escalation,” was halted by the Israeli Navy to prevent potential arms smuggling to Hamas, the terrorist group that rules Gaza and launched the brutal Oct. 7, 2023, attacks that killed 1,200 Israelis and sparked the ongoing conflict.

Israeli officials have long maintained the blockade, imposed jointly with Egypt in 2007 after Hamas seized control of Gaza, is essential to prevent weapons and materials from reaching terrorists who have fired thousands of rockets at Israeli civilians. “This is nothing more than a publicity stunt by anti-Israel extremists,” an Israeli government spokesperson said in response to the new plans, echoing dismissals of previous efforts.

Past flotillas have ended in violence, most notably the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident, when activists aboard a Turkish vessel attacked Israeli commandos with clubs and knives, leading to the deaths of nine assailants in self-defense. Israel has since allowed extensive humanitarian aid into Gaza through monitored land crossings, with over 500,000 tons delivered since the war began, though critics claim restrictions remain due to Hamas’ diversion of supplies.

Mandela’s grandson, Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela, invoked South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle in calling for the flotilla, urging global participation to “isolate the apartheid state of Israel.” Organizers, including groups like the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, insist the mission is nonviolent and focused on delivering aid amid what they describe as a “genocidal siege.” However, Israeli security experts warn such convoys could be exploited by terror groups, as evidenced by past discoveries of weapons hidden in aid shipments.

The Israeli Navy has vowed to enforce the blockade, with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stating last year that “any attempt to breach our maritime security will be met with firm action to protect our citizens.”

As preparations ramp up, the flotilla’s organizers are calling for more volunteers, emphasizing specialized teams for medical care and reconstruction. But in Israel, the announcement has been met with skepticism and resolve, with one X user posting, “They never learn.”

The Israeli government has not yet detailed its response to the March sailing but reiterated its commitment to allowing vetted aid while preventing threats to national security.