Donna Schwarz is risking life and limb as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), a daring mission to break the Israeli imposed blockade of Gaza. Thousands of participants from dozens of countries have joined  

“Sumud” means “resilience” or “steadfastness” in Arabic. Qualities that Donna and the rest of the flotilla embody, as they navigate the Mediterranean under the shadow of nightly aggression and a ramped-up Israeli rhetoric that seeks to justify further attacks on this peaceful, civilian mission. 

Earlier this week, Donna posted a video, shared on the union’s social media accounts. In it, she calls the flotilla a “humanitarian non-violent mission” and explains that it is a fleet mostly made up of small vessels, sailing from ports all across the Mediterranean. 

“We are civilians who have come together through this global movement. We figured if our governments weren't going to take action and they failed the people of Gaza, then it was up to us - the citizens of the world - to set sail. There’s about 44 countries involved. There are over fifty boats in the flotilla from all over,” she explains. 

“We joined them in Tunis, and there are boats coming from Italy, and today or tomorrow there'll be more joining us from Greece. We’ll be making our way to Gaza. 

“The people there are experiencing awful devastation, famine, genocide, ethnic cleansing, the complete bombardment of Gaza City. They have nowhere left to go. They only have a small slip left,” warned Donna. 

“The urgency here is… words can’t describe it. I don’t think we are going to get there on time. We are probably going to be intercepted and abducted by the Israeli occupying forces.” 

The risks are real. In June, Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg was deported after a Gaza-bound aid boat she and 11 others were on was intercepted by Israeli forces in the Mediterranean. Those with longer memories will remember the massacre aboard the Mavi Marmara in 2010, when Israeli commandos stormed the vessel and killed nine Turkish citizens. It’s reported that five were killed by gunshot wounds to the head.  

As the flotilla nears Gaza, danger escalates for Donna and others. On Tuesday night, multiple boats reported explosions, unidentified objects dropped from drones or aircraft, and widespread communication disruptions. No fatalities occurred - but the risk was undeniable. 

At least 13 explosions were heard across several vessels. Meanwhile, Israel launched a disinformation campaign, falsely labelling the flotilla as a “Hamas mission,” ramping up rhetoric to justify attacks and lay the groundwork for violent raids that have happened before. Under international law, civilians on such missions are protected; any attack would constitute a war crime. 

On Wednesday morning, Donna sent another update: 

“Last night was intense. Drones had been over our boat, but luckily nothing was dropped. When I went to bed at around 3 or 4am, nine drops had been made on roughly as many boats. They seemed to be targeting the smaller sailboats.” 

During the attack, Donna was on night watch with the first mate, scanning the sky for drones. 

“We heard the first explosion—bigger than a popping sound and more than a bang—and turned to each other and said, ‘Did you hear that?’ Within minutes, a second went off.” 

Over the flotilla’s Very High Frequency (VHF) radios, Thiago on the lead ship ordered all boats to implement a pre-planned drone protocol. 

“Which means we wake everyone up, put on life jackets, and stay alert,” explains Donna. 

“It was very tense, with boats getting dropped on. As some were doing zig-zags, they managed to deflect some of the devices, which were gas and smelled of sulphur—you could smell it in the air. Our internet is down this morning, so I can't imagine what they were doing to Palestine and surrounding countries while they did this to us. That's how they operate in the past: put attention onto us while bombing and killing elsewhere.” 

Donna reassured followers: 

“I hope you know I'm okay, as is the rest of the fleet. The main damage I'm aware of is that one of the sailboats’ masts was damaged, but hopefully they were able to fix that. I'll update when I know more. Most are sleeping now after the rough night. I imagine it’s going to be like this for the next few nights till we get intercepted.” 

She signed off with a plea for protection: “Hopefully some government will send their Navy to protect us.” 

Some responded. Spain and Italy have deployed naval ships to the Mediterranean. Italy sent a second vessel Thursday, following the dispatch of a frigate the day before, while Spain confirmed its navy would provide protection to ensure the flotilla’s safe passage. 

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan praised the ongoing efforts of members: 

“Over 8,000 Fórsa members signed our petition on the Occupied Territories Bill in July, and nearly 800 sent written submissions. TDs were flooded with calls and emails. The message is clear: working people across Ireland want our trade laws to match our values.” 

“All across the country, Fórsa members are at the forefront of Palestinian solidarity. None of us can ever do enough, and I share the frustration at the seemingly impossible task of holding Israel to account. But all walls eventually crumble. To members like Donna - and every activist pushing forward - know this: we see you, we’ve got your back.” 

In a further update sent late on Thursday evening, Donna reassured everyone that everyone is safe and reiterated of her commitment to the mission saying "I believe in breaking the siege to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid".

Donna had one last plea to Fórsa members: 

“If you could keep an eye on us,” she implored. “Write to the foreign minister Simon Harris and demand we are protected. You can also support us by following the tracker.” 

You can follow the tracker here and read more about the Global Sumud Flotilla on their website. 

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