Just weeks after aid worker Zomi Frankcom was killed in Israeli air strikes, three Australians are embarking on an unauthorised mission to deliver food and medical supplies to war-torn Gaza.
“We all feel like this horror is too much to bear, that something desperately has to be done,” Surya McEwen said.
The 38-year-old care worker from New South Wales said he was among 1,000 international activists who will set sail for Gaza on one of three ships, carrying 5,500 tonnes of humanitarian aid with them.
The aim of the mission, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), is to breach Israel’s naval blockade of the Palestinian enclave, where the United Nations says 1.1 million people are in danger from a looming famine.
University of Queensland educator Helen O’Sullivan and New South Welshman Daniel Coward have also said they would take part in the flotilla mission.
The ABC understands they are all expected to depart from Türkiye this week, but the exact date is being kept a secret.
“This type of operation has never been done in an active war zone. This accentuates the risk and necessity,” Mr McEwen said from Istanbul.
Israel has maintained a sea, land and air blockade on Gaza since Hamas’s takeover in 2007, citing the risk of weapons smuggling and the security threat posed by the militant group.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) said in a statement on Sunday that those who wish to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza should do so “through established channels”.
“We urge Australians not to try and break the naval blockade,” a spokesperson said.
In a joint statement on Tuesday, the three flotilla participants from Australia said DFAT’s response was “deeply disappointing”.
“I want the Australian government to put humanity first, not politics. And ensure that this aid is delivered to Gaza safely,” Mr McEwen said.
Mr Coward said providing the aid was part of the “duty we have as citizens”.
“Not sailing, and not providing this humanitarian aid that is ready to go, goes against the duty we have as citizens,” he said.
Out of dozens of unauthorised flotillas that have challenged the blockade over the past decade, only five have reached Gaza’s shores without being intercepted, according to the FFC.
Nine Gaza-bound flotilla activists were killed in 2010, with the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) finding Israel had used “excessive” force and that the activists had acted “recklessly” in attempting to breach the blockade.
Following Hamas’s terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, which Israeli officials say killed at least 1,200 Israelis and foreigners, Israel invaded Gaza and imposed what it called a “total” blockade on the territory of 2.2 million people, cutting off electricity, food and water.
Now, the FFC says it has brought together humanitarian and activist organisations from 35 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the US and UK, with the aim of “breaking” this blockade.
Human rights groups like Amnesty and Human Rights Watch have called the blockade “illegal” and a form of “collective punishment” because they say it restricts the flow of essential goods and endangers the lives of innocent civilians.
Israel began allowing humanitarian relief to enter Gaza on October 18, 2023, though the UNHRC said last week that Israel was still imposing “unlawful restrictions” on the flow of aid.
Israel has repeatedly denied hindering the distribution of relief, saying the problem is caused by international aid groups’ inability to get it to those in need.
Earlier this month, Israel agreed to open a seaport and some additional land crossings to get aid into Gaza, after coming under international pressure for the Israeli strikes that killed seven relief workers, including Australian Ms Frankcom.
FFC’s flotilla mission will not be using these channels as spokesperson James Godfrey said the transnational network “doesn’t recognise that Israel has authority to control Palestinian waters”.
“We haven’t sought permission and we don’t intend to seek permission,” he said.
Ms O’Sullivan, who describes herself as a proud mother of three and a grateful grandmother of seven, said she felt compelled to join the flotilla to draw attention to the plight of Palestinians in Gaza.
According to the latest figures from the Hamas-run health ministry, at least 33,729 Palestinians have died from Israeli strikes since the war started six months ago.
“This journey to Gaza is not what I imagined doing at this stage of my life, but like many around, I have felt overwhelmed by the genocide we witness on our screens daily,” Ms O’Sullivan said.
“I want our children to know that we have to speak up in defence of those who cannot. I am a social work field educator — social justice is at the core of our practice. I have to walk the talk.”
Israel has vehemently rejected allegations of genocide levelled in the UN’s top court, saying it has a right to defend itself from Hamas after the group took at least 250 hostages back to Gaza.
The International Court of Justice has not yet ruled on whether Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, as the process could take years.
It issued a provisional ruling in January stating that Israel must take all measures in its power to prevent and punish “the direct and public incitement to commit genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza.
The UN has warned that “famine is imminent” in northern areas of Gaza, where 31 per cent of children under two years of age are suffering from acute malnutrition.
The World Food Programme’s latest report on hunger describes a “catastrophic” condition for the Palestinians living in the enclave, with more than 90 per cent of the entire population facing “acute food insecurity”.
“This is an emergency mission as the situation in Gaza is dire,” the FFC said in a statement about its motivations for launching the flotilla.
Mr Godfrey said the group had made plans for the distribution of its aid in coordination with Türkiye’s Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) and Malaysia’s humanitarian organisation MyCare.
“Partners are making contingency plans to be able to successfully arrive and they’re doing it under constant bombardment.”
He added the mission was being funded through online crowdsourcing and donations from individuals.
‘I understand and accept the risks’
Between 2008 and 2018, international activists launched 35 flotillas to challenge Israel’s naval blockade.
According to Mr Godfrey, only five of those flotillas managed to reach Gaza’s shores and they all docked in 2008 under the sponsorship of the Free Gaza Movement.
DFAT warned on Sunday that previous attempts to break the naval blockade along Gaza’s coast “have resulted in injury, death, arrest and the deportation of foreigners”.
Following May 2010’s highly publicised incident, a UNHRC panel found that nine activists were killed and “many others seriously wounded” by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) after they raided a flotilla of six ships.
They said Israel’s use of force on activists had been “excessive and unreasonable”, with the forensic evidence showing that most of those who died had been shot multiple times, including in the back, or at close range.
The UNHRC panel also found that “several” IDF troops were wounded and three had been “captured, mistreated and placed at risk” by passengers on board one of the flotilla ships.
“Although people are entitled to express their political views, the flotilla acted recklessly in attempting to breach the naval blockade,” the UNHRC panel said in their report published in 2011.
“The majority of the flotilla participants had no violent intentions, but there exist serious questions about the conduct, true nature and objectives of the flotilla organisers, particularly IHH.”
The report recommended that future humanitarian missions wishing to assist the Gaza population should do so “through established procedures and the designated land crossings in consultation with the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority”.
The humanitarian organisation IHH referred to in the report is the same one that has partnered with the FFC to organise this week’s flotilla mission.
The FFC said it was “a non-violent coalition”, with all of its flotilla participants having undertaken two days of de-escalation training ahead of the voyage.
“We hope the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is paying attention to make sure our people are kept safe and our ships are kept safe,” Mr Godfrey said.
“We need to be successful this time. Time is running out for the Palestinian people in Gaza.”
Mr McEwen said it was a “possibility” that IDF troops would board the flotilla ships upon approaching the blockade zone, but he emphasised the activists would be presenting themselves in the “most peaceful way possible”.
“One of the biggest ways that we’re keeping ourselves safe is by building movements of people who amplify and come along the journey with us through communications and social media,” he said.
Mr McEwen and Ms O’Sullivan said they would continue to document their sailing journey to Gaza on social media in the hopes that it would prevent the escalation of conflict.
“I understand and accept the risks, however, the people of Palestine face these risks and more every second of every day,” Ms O’Sullivan said.
“The Australian government needs to be stronger in their stance on what is happening in Palestine.
“Please help keep us safe by keeping your eyes on me and ensuring our elected representatives do the same.”
DFAT said the Australian government was using its voice to advocate for an immediate ceasefire “to enable the facilitation of aid into Gaza at scale and the release of hostages”.
“We have been clear with Israel that it must comply with the binding orders of the International Court of Justice, including to enable the provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance at scale,” a spokesperson said.
Since the war started, Australia has committed $52.5 million in humanitarian assistance to address essential needs in Gaza.