Gaza artists paint rock artwork in support of Global Sumud Flotilla.

SHOTIST: GAZA, PALESTINE (MAY 19, 2026) 1. VARIOUS OF PALESTINIAN ARTISTS PAINTING ON ROCK AT BEACH 2. PALESTINIAN ARTIST SARA ABU SUDEH SPEAKING TO REPORTER (ARABIC) 3. VARIOUS OF PALESTINIAN ARTISTS PAINTING ON ROCKS AT BEACH/ SHIP PAINTING ON ROCK GAZA, PALESTINE - MAY 19, 2026: Palestinian artists painted a picture depicting the Global Sumud Flotilla on a large rock along the Gaza coastline on Tuesday, May 19, to express solidarity with activists detained following Israeli intervention in international waters. The artwork portrayed a ship carrying a Palestinian flag sailing through the waves and was created as a symbolic message of support for activists attempting to reach Gaza despite the blockade. Palestinian artist Sara Abu Sudeh said that the mural was intended to convey a message of hope and solidarity from Gaza to activists from Türkiye, Spain, and other countries participating in the flotilla. The Israeli army seized more than 40 of the 54 vessels participating in the Gaza-bound Global Sumud flotilla on Tuesday, according to Israeli media, and detained around 300 activists. This is not the first such incident involving the flotilla. In late April, the Israeli army attacked flotilla boats in international waters off the Greek island of Crete. The convoy at the time included 345 participants from 39 countries, among them Turkish citizens. Israeli forces then seized 21 boats carrying around 175 activists, while the remaining vessels continued toward Greek territorial waters. Israeli forces later released the activists in international waters except for two — a Spanish and a Brazilian activist — who were taken to detention centers inside Israel before later being deported. Around 2.4 million Palestinians, including approximately 1.5 million displaced people, are living under catastrophic humanitarian conditions in Gaza, worsened by a two-year Israeli genocide that has killed more than 72,700 people and wounded over 172,700, most of them women and children, in addition to triggering severe famine conditions. Despite a ceasefire announced in October 2025, Israel has continued restricting humanitarian aid access and carrying out daily strikes, resulting in the deaths of 877 Palestinians and injuries to 2,602 others, according to local authorities. Reporting by Hamza Z. H. Qraiqea / Writing by Ayse Elif Erdis