Convoy to Gaza departs Tunisia in bid to break blockade
A humanitarian convoy aimed at breaking the blockade on Gaza has begun its journey from several Tunisian cities, organisers say.
The initiative, launched on Monday, is expected to travel across Libya and Egypt before reaching the Rafah border crossing into the Gaza Strip.
Organised by the Joint Coordination for Palestine, the convoy includes representatives from civil society groups, trade unions, political parties, medical associations, and youth organisations. Its route will take it from Tunis, Sousse, Sfax and Gabès to the southern city of Ben Gardane, near the Libyan border.
The convoy will then proceed along the Libyan coastline before heading to Cairo and onwards to Rafah on the Egyptian-Palestinian border.
Organisers say the mission is intended to show solidarity with the Palestinian people and to deliver humanitarian aid.
The effort has received backing from major Tunisian institutions, including the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), the National Union of Tunisian Journalists, the Tunisian Bar Association, the Tunisian Human Rights League, the Doctors' Union, and the Young Doctors' Organisation.
Initially scheduled to depart on 14 June, the launch was moved forward to 9 June to align with the arrival of international delegations in the region.
Separately, a coalition of more than 32 international unions and rights organisations recently announced a 'Global March to Gaza' to highlight what it called the dire humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians. The marchers plan to enter Gaza on foot.
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