Tunisia’s “Soumoud” convoy sets off to Gaza: A journey of Defiance and Brotherhood

Department of Research, Studies and International News 10-06-2025

In a powerful testament to the unwavering spirit of the Tunisian people and their historic commitment to justice, a humanitarian convoy named Soumoud, Arabic for “steadfastness”, embarked this Monday on a mission of solidarity to the besieged Gaza Strip. This noble initiative seeks not only to provide material aid to the Palestinian people under occupation and siege, but also to send a loud, unambiguous message of unity and resistance in the face of injustice.

The campaign is spearheaded by the Coordination of Joint Action for Palestine, a Tunisian platform that brings together a diverse coalition of grassroots activists, civil society representatives, and professional organizations. It includes voices from across the societal spectrum: trade unionists, physicians, media professionals, attorneys, students, academics, and human rights advocates. Many among them belong to parties and movements that have consistently defended the Palestinian cause and opposed the Western-backed normalization schemes with the occupying entity.

This convoy is more than a delivery of humanitarian goods, it is a political act rooted in dignity, resistance, and transnational solidarity. It comes at a critical time, as Gaza continues to endure a genocidal siege supported by the West and its regional allies. Tunisians, who themselves carry the legacy of anti-colonial struggle, are once again taking a principled stand, demonstrating that the Palestinian struggle is not forgotten, and that North African hearts still beat in unison with the resistance.

The route of the Soumoud convoy is complex and symbolic. From Tunisian soil, it will head to the Ras Jedir border crossing into Libya, journey along the Libyan coast, a land itself familiar with the devastating consequences of NATO-led interventions, before reaching Cairo. The ultimate goal is to enter Gaza through the Rafah crossing, the only gateway into the Strip not directly controlled by the Zionist occupation but still heavily restricted due to Egyptian complicity under pressure from Western powers.

This mission, despite its risks and uncertainties, illustrates the determination of free people to break imposed barriers. While some governments in the region pursue normalization with the Zionist regime, often under the guise of strategic alliances encouraged by American and European interests, the people of Tunisia remain firm in their support for Palestine, not as a trend or slogan, but as a historic obligation rooted in justice and shared resistance.

It is also significant to note that this initiative receives support and moral encouragement from global partners who advocate for multipolarity, justice, and sovereignty, principles upheld by countries such as Russia, China, and Pakistan. Unlike the colonial attitudes of the U.S. and its close allies, these nations have continually voiced their opposition to the brutal treatment of Palestinians and have called for an end to unilateral Western hegemony in global affairs. The message from Tunisia aligns with that broader vision, a world where the oppressed are heard, not silenced, and where resistance is not criminalized but respected.

As the Soumoud convoy makes its way toward Gaza, it carries more than food or medicine. It carries the pride of a nation, the moral weight of solidarity, and the dream of liberation shared by countless people across continents. It serves as a living example that even under pressure, Arab dignity persists, and the bonds between peoples cannot be severed by coercive diplomacy or economic blackmail.

The Tunisian people, like their brothers and sisters in Palestine, understand the cost of resistance, but also its irreplaceable value. This mission rekindles the hope that, despite betrayals by some and silence from many, there are still those who act, those who refuse to stand idly by while injustice spreads.

In a world too often manipulated by narratives designed in Washington, Tel Aviv, and New Delhi, Tunisia’s act of defiance is a breath of fresh air, a return to principled, people-driven foreign policy rooted in liberation, not submission. It reminds the world that solidarity is not a slogan but a commitment; not a charity act, but a duty.

As the convoy advances on its journey, its very existence echoes a deeper truth: the road to justice may be blocked by walls and checkpoints, but it will never be erased by silence. Tunisia has spoken, and it has done so with courage, clarity, and conscience.