Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
05 September 2025 | 12:15 CAT

📸 South African humanitarian, activist & mother joins the Global Sumud Flotilla sailing to Gaza for justice, her children, and humanity. (Image: Global Movement to Gaza)

Elham Mouaffak Hatfield, a South African humanitarian, activist, and mother of three, has embarked on the Global Sumud Flotilla. The largest civilian maritime mission challenging Israel’s blockade of Gaza. In a conversation with Radio Islam International, she shared the deeply personal reasons behind her decision.

Hatfield explained that she could no longer remain silent in the face of ongoing suffering. “Too much, too many, too heartbreaking pictures, videos, and most importantly, the inactive people, governments, no action has been taken for so long. We’re talking about two years non-stop of massacre and starvation. In total, it’s 77 years. I think it’s time for us to move and do some things,” she said.

Her three daughters remain at the centre of her activism. “When we are parents, the only thing we want is our children to be safe and happy. Right now, the world isn’t safe for our kids. My children need to know that this world is going to be okay,” she told Radio Islam.

The flotilla includes activists from more than 40 countries, united by a common goal. According to Hatfield, the atmosphere among participants is one of solidarity. “We all have the same goal. We all have had enough of seeing atrocity for so long, we are well surrounded and supported between us,” she explained.

Israel has dismissed previous flotilla missions as propaganda, but Hatfield rejected those claims. “We are humanitarians in the first place – doctors, lawyers, humanitarians. There’s nothing else but humanitarian aid on the boats,” she stressed, clarifying that the cargo consists of food, water, and medical supplies.

The mission does not come without risks. Participants have undergone training to remain calm in volatile situations. “Even a fast move to grab your phone can cost you a bullet in your head. We’ve been trained not to be provoked,” Hatfield said.

Reflecting on what she hopes to do upon arrival in Gaza, she became emotional: “Being able to, for once, after so many years, deliver humanitarian aid. I think I will just throw the box and run to them and give a huge hug and tell them that we love them. They are beautiful, resilient people, and they will never be alone.”

For Hatfield, this journey is not only about delivering aid but also about leaving behind a legacy of resistance and compassion for future generations.

Listen to the full interview on Sabahul Muslim with Annisa Essack and Elham Mouaffak Hatfield.