“We are not heroes, we do not need heroes — what we need is organization, courage, solidarity, and we need to move fast,” declared Brazilian humanitarian activist Thiago Ávila on Monday after the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla arrived in Tunisia.

“The Palestinian people called on us to break the siege, to open a humanitarian quarter, and we are here at their service,” he continued.

The flotilla, carrying volunteers from several countries, aims to deliver aid and challenge Israel’s 17-year blockade, which has left Gaza’s residents facing famine and collapsing infrastructure.

Previous aid boats have been intercepted, yet organizers press on, framing the mission as a people-driven stand for international law and Palestinian survival.

In the absence of decisive state action, they say, solidarity must chart its own course across the Mediterranean.