KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 — Five Malaysian volunteers chosen for the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) 2.0 mission will soon depart for Europe, where they will serve as captains and technical crew in preparation for the humanitarian aid mission to Gaza.
Cinta Gaza Malaysia (CGM) chief executive officer Muhammad Nadir Al-Nuri Kamaruzaman said the five volunteers are the first Malaysians to take part in the technical and boat-handling aspects of the international mission.
“The Malaysian volunteers were chosen for roles as captains, crew members, and technicians in the vessels’ preparation.
“They underwent a rigorous interview and screening by Global Sumud Flotilla and Sumud Nusantara before being allowed to join the international team in Europe,” he told Bernama.
Nadir said GSF 2.0, which sets sail on April 12 from Barcelona, will involve more than 100 vessels, making it the largest flotilla mission in history.
He said dozens of vessels had been secured at various ports across Europe and are undergoing final preparations.
“In terms of security, there are many challenges since we are preparing the largest flotilla mission in history, something that has never been done before.
“We have set conditions for those (apart from the five Malaysian volunteers) who wish to participate, requiring them to be ready until at least mid-May and prepared for all eventualities if they join us on the vessels,” he added.
Nadir said the flotilla is expected to follow a similar route to the previous mission, with stops in Tunisia and Italy, and that the voyage to Gaza would take about two weeks, depending on the weather and disruptions.
“We expect Israel to act more aggressively this time. With such a large number of vessels, it may be difficult for them to intercept as before, and we are prepared to face any unforeseen measures they may take,” he said.
Meanwhile, CGM strategic executive (public relations) Muhd Haikal Luqman Zulkefli said that so far, almost 20 volunteers, including members of the public and representatives from non-governmental organisations such as CGM, Cinta Salam Malaysia, and the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations (MAPIM), have participated in the mission.
He said the group is the main driving force behind coordinating and facilitating matters related to participants and the operations of GSF 2.0.
