The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF; Arabic: أسطول الصمود العالمي, romanized: Usṭūl aṣ-Ṣumūd al-ʿĀlamī), also called the Global Freedom Flotilla (أسطول الحرية العالمي, Usṭūl al-Ḥurriyya al-ʿĀlamī), is an international project that started in mid-2025. Its aim is to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. By October, all those ships had their control taken over, by authorities from Israel.
The flotilla was formed in July 2025 by groups such as the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Global Movement to Gaza, and the Maghreb Sumud Flotilla. The flotilla has more than 50 ships and thousands of people from over 44 countries. Organisers say it is the largest civilian convoy of its kind in history.
On a day in September 2025, at least one boat of the flotilla, was attacked by (at least) one drone. That happened in international waters. [After that happened, then] two ships from Italy's navy and Spain's navy, traveled to that place (in international waters).
A boat with Greta Thunberg and other people onboard, was arrested, according to media (October 1). At least one Israeli soldier boarded the boat; The boat was forced to move toward a port in Israel.
On October 3, the last ship had its control taken over, by authorities from Israel.
437 people of the people from the flotilla, were in detainment (October 5); Dozens of the [prisoners or] detainees have been put on transportation out of Israel.
Origin of the name: The word sumud means "steadfastness" or "resilience" in Arabic.
Earlier attempts to break the blockade sometimes succeeded before 2010, but since then ships have usually been stopped or attacked by Israeli forces.
It began during the 2023–2025 Gaza war.