WEB REPORT
The Soumoud Convoy, also known as the Steadfast Convoy or Maghreb Resilience Convoy, was a land-based humanitarian initiative launched on 9 June 2025 from Tunis, Tunisia. It aimed to travel overland through Libya to the Rafah border crossing in Egypt, with the ultimate objective of reaching the besieged Gaza Strip.
Organized by a coalition of civil society groups across North Africa—including Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, and Morocco—the convoy sought to highlight the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, protest the Israeli blockade, and amplify calls to end what many organizers termed a genocide against the Palestinian people.
Although it carried little in the way of physical aid, the convoy was deeply symbolic: a peaceful regional act of resistance intended to challenge political apathy and reinforce the urgency of humanitarian access to Gaza.
Background: An Idea Rooted in Humanitarian Urgency
The concept for a land convoy dates back to April 2024, when Tunisian organizations announced plans for a medical mission to Gaza. Though logistical obstacles postponed that effort, renewed urgency amid escalating violence in Gaza brought the idea back to life.
By 8 June 2025, the revived convoy invited all previously registered volunteers to training sessions focused on first aid, legal rights, and the principles of nonviolent resistance—hallmarks of the campaign’s peaceful ethos.
The Soumoud Convoy also formed part of the broader Global March to Gaza, a coordinated international movement set to peak with a mass mobilization near the Rafah crossing on 15 June.
The Journey Begins: From Tunis to Tripoli
More than 1,000 participants—including citizens from North Africa and parts of Europe—departed from Tunis on 9 June. The convoy traveled through southern Tunisia and crossed the Ras Jdir border into Libya on 11 June, receiving widespread support from local communities.
In Tripoli, the initiative was officially welcomed by Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, who praised it as a “fraternal humanitarian gesture” and underscored Libya’s support for Gaza’s besieged population. Government escorts accompanied the convoy as it moved eastward toward the Egyptian frontier.
Blocked at Sirte: Libya’s Internal Divisions Surface
Momentum was soon lost near Sirte, where the convoy encountered a major roadblock. Forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army in eastern Libya, refused passage, citing the convoy’s lack of official permits and coordination.
Amid the standoff, several participants were reportedly detained, prompting organizers to retreat westward to Misrata on 15 June and demand the detainees’ release.
With internal Libyan rivalries obstructing eastward movement, the convoy’s path to Gaza was effectively halted—a reflection of the fractured political landscape across Libya.
Egyptian Crackdown: A Closed Door at Rafah
In Egypt, parallel developments compounded the convoy’s difficulties. In the days leading up to the scheduled Global March to Gaza, hundreds of international activists arriving in Cairo were detained, deported, or barred from traveling toward North Sinai.
Participants from France, Sweden, Tunisia, Algeria, Denmark, and other nations were stopped at Cairo International Airport or intercepted at checkpoints en route to Rafah. Activists reported being held in hotels under guard or redirected back to their countries.
Among them was Soumoud Convoy spokesperson Seif Abu Kishk, who stated he was beaten, insulted, and deported after staging a peaceful sit-in at the airport. “We were chanting for Gaza,” he said, speaking from Istanbul, where deported activists were stranded.
On 13 June, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry declared it would not allow any marches or convoys toward Rafah without prior authorization—effectively suspending both the Soumoud Convoy and the Global March.
Global Response and Escalating Tensions
The Soumoud Convoy’s launch coincided with a separate international attempt to break the siege by sea. An aid ship intercepted by the Israeli Navy was carrying twelve passengers, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Rima Hassan, a Franco-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament.
The convoy’s organizers pointed to these developments as evidence of mounting international frustration with Israel’s blockade. The United Nations has repeatedly warned of “famine-like conditions” in Gaza and described it as “the hungriest place on Earth.” Despite these warnings, border crossings remain largely shut, including Rafah, which has been inaccessible since Israeli forces took control of its Gazan side
Conclusion: A Movement Interrupted, A Message Delivered
Although unable to reach Gaza, the Soumoud Convoy has undeniably succeeded in one of its primary aims: drawing international attention to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the roadblocks—literal and political—that obstruct solidarity.
Faced with regional fragmentation, military roadblocks, and strict border control, the convoy stands as a testament to civil society’s determination to act—even in the face of overwhelming odds.
As negotiations continue and diplomatic options are explored, organizers maintain that their mission is far from over. “The wheels may have stopped,” one participant said, “but the voice of Gaza is louder than ever.”
