Remembering the 2010 Massacre
On May 31, 2010, Israeli commandos stormed the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish-flagged humanitarian vessel sailing in international waters, part of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. Their mission was clear: to break Israel’s illegal and inhumane blockade of Gaza and deliver life-saving aid.
What followed was a blatant act of piracy and terrorism. Israeli forces descended from helicopters and opened fire on unarmed civilians on deck — many of them filming or praying. Ten peace activists were executed at close range, and dozens more were injured. The entire crew was captured, assaulted, and detained.
The martyrs include:
- Cengiz Akyüz, 42
- Ibrahim Bilgen, 60
- Cevdet Kılıçlar, 38
- Furkan Doğan, 19 (an American citizen)
- Fahri Yaldız, 43
- Ali Haydar Bengi, 39
- Çetin Topçuoğlu, 54
- Cengiz Songür, 47
- Necdet Yıldırım, 32
- Uğur Süleyman Söylemez, who died in 2014 after four years in a coma
Several Malaysians were also onboard the Mavi Marmara in 2010, including humanitarian volunteers and media personnel. They witnessed the massacre firsthand and later testified about Israel’s war crimes.
Although the International Criminal Court (ICC) acknowledged that war crimes may have occurred, it shamefully declined to prosecute — proving once again that the international legal system often fails when the aggressor is a Western-backed regime.
Reigniting the Mission: Freedom Flotilla 2024–2025
Fifteen years after the massacre, the movement to break the siege on Gaza has not waned — it has grown stronger.
In April 2024, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) launched a new maritime mission titled “Break the Siege”, seeking to deliver 5,500 tons of humanitarian aid by sea, including medical supplies, food, tents, school materials, and ambulances.
Malaysian Delegation: Voices of the People
This year’s flotilla saw a renewed Malaysian presence, with a diverse delegation of civil society and media organizations:
- MyCARE
- BDS Malaysia
- Astro Awani
- BERNAMA
- MAHAR (Malaysian Humanitarian Aid and Relief)
- Pertubuhan IKRAM Malaysia
- And other grassroots movements and individuals
This representation showed that Malaysia’s support for Palestine is not limited to statements — it is backed by action and sacrifice from ordinary citizens, media, and civil society.
Last Year’s Blocked Attempt
In 2023, a similar flotilla mission failed to launch after facing political and legal obstruction. Israeli and American pressure resulted in the cancellation of port clearances and ship registrations — once again demonstrating the Zionist regime’s global reach in suppressing humanitarian aid.
2025 Attack at Sea
On May 3, 2025, the ship “Conscience”, carrying humanitarian cargo, was attacked by drones in international waters off Malta. While no casualties were reported, the ship suffered significant damage. The Israeli regime, as usual, refused to comment — a telling silence.
Why Israel Fears the People More Than States
This ongoing aggression reveals a critical truth: Israel fears the global people’s movement more than it fears Arab regimes or even powerful states like Türkiye. Non-state actors — grassroots organizers, civil society, and flotilla volunteers — pose the greatest threat to the Zionist regime’s narrative control and siege enforcement.
Because people — not governments — are willing to take real risks for Gaza.
Because people can’t be bought, silenced, or co-opted.
Because the global voice of conscience is louder than state diplomacy.
That is why they attack boats. That is why they fear BDS.
That is why we must never stop.
Global Solidarity Is Growing — Will You Be Part of It?
Speak Up:
- Share this article and educate your circles about the Mavi Marmara massacre and Israel’s ongoing blockade of Gaza.
- Challenge the narrative — fight Zionist disinformation in your communities and media.
- Tell the truth — about genocide, apartheid, and settler-colonialism.
Demand Action from Your Government:
- Pressure MPs and ministers to call for an end to the blockade.
- Reject normalization with apartheid.
- Demand Malaysia and other nations sanction Israel and support international justice mechanisms.
Let the Sea Remember, Let the World Not Forget
The Mavi Marmara was not just a ship — it was a symbol of what ordinary people can do when states fail.
Fifteen years later, it reminds us that justice is a struggle, not a slogan.
And Gaza is not alone — because we sail together, we speak together, and we resist together.
We do not forget.
We do not forgive.
We organize.
Sources:
- Freedom Flotilla Coalition: https://freedomflotilla.org
- Mavi Marmara Association: https://mavimarmara.org
- AP News: “Drones strike Gaza aid ship in international waters”
- The Guardian: “Aid ship to Gaza bombed by drones”
- Malay Mail: “Malaysian delegation joins Freedom Flotilla Coalition”
- Selangor Journal: “Malaysian delegation departs to Istanbul for Gaza flotilla mission”
- BDS Malaysia: https://bdsmalaysia.org
