Palestinians gathered on Tuesday in the Gaza Strip to voice their support for an upcoming global strike by port workers. The mobilization precedes labor actions scheduled for Friday involving more than 25 trade unions.
Organisers estimate that the planned demonstrations and work stoppages will affect 113 ports across 22 countries and territories. The participants are demanding an end to the transportation of military equipment and weapons through civilian ports to active combat zones.
Demonstrators in Gaza carried banners and messages expressing solidarity with international seafarers and port employees. They praised the workers for taking action against the use of civilian facilities to support Israeli military operations.
Zakaria Bakr, president of the General Union of Fishing and Marine Production Workers, spoke at the gathering. He stated that the event aimed to deliver the message of local fishermen to port workers globally and thank them for their backing.
“Palestinian fishermen have been prevented from accessing the sea for more than three years, during which they have faced killings, injuries, arrests and destruction of their property,” Bakr told Anadolu.
Bakr urged port employees and seafarers around the world to maintain their solidarity actions. He also called for local fishermen to regain their rights and be permitted to return to their work.
Nour Saad, spokesperson for the Sumud activities, addressed the crowd during the rally. She explained that the protest stood in direct opposition to utilizing global supply chains and ports to facilitate Israeli military operations against Palestinians.
“The global labor actions seek to prevent public resources and funds from being used to support war economies and armament,” Saad said.
“Participants are calling instead for those resources to be directed toward meeting people’s needs,” she added.
The demonstration took place against the backdrop of strict Israeli prohibitions preventing local fishermen from accessing the water. This restriction forms part of the severe humanitarian emergency brought on by the military campaign in Gaza.
Since October 2023, the war waged by Israel on the Gaza Strip with United States support has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians. Palestinian figures indicate that injuries have surpassed 175,000, with women and children making up the majority of casualties, while roughly 90% of the enclave’s infrastructure lies in ruins.
