{"id":100310,"date":"2025-09-04T20:27:41","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T18:27:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/?p=100310"},"modified":"2025-09-04T20:29:30","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T18:29:30","slug":"dr-fatima-hendricks-and-zukiswa-wanner-participate-in-historic-sumud-flotilla-for-gaza","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/dr-fatima-hendricks-and-zukiswa-wanner-participate-in-historic-sumud-flotilla-for-gaza\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Fatima Hendricks and Zukiswa Wanner Participate in Global Sumud Flotilla for Gaza"},"content":{"rendered":"

Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za<\/a> <\/em>
\n3-minute read | 04 September 2025 | 18:00 CAT<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"

\ud83d\udcf8 Activists Dr. Fatima Hendricks and Zukiswa Wanner join the Global Sumud Flotilla, standing in solidarity with the people of Gaza.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Global Sumud Flotilla, a massive civilian-led mission to break Israel\u2019s blockade of Gaza, has set sail from ports across the world, drawing international attention. Ten South Africans form part of this unprecedented effort, which activists describe as both a humanitarian mission and a moral responsibility.<\/p>\n

Among them is Dr. Fatima Hendricks, an occupational therapist and activist, who emphasised the moral accountability driving her participation. \u201cThere is an imperative for us to really emphasise the sacredness of human life. The genocide is really an example of where life is taken unnecessarily en masse,\u201d she told Radio Islam International.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Dr. Hendricks explained that while governments have failed to hold Israel accountable, civilians are now taking up the role of resistance. \u201cIt is unfortunate that governments have failed us. We are actually as civilians now taking up the role of what governments should be doing. This flotilla is called Sumud<\/em> \u2013 steadfastness – because the question is, where is our steadfastness as a global community to stand for the Palestinian people?\u201d<\/p>\n

She acknowledged the dangers involved but reiterated the flotilla\u2019s clear objectives. \u201cOur niyah<\/em> is to open a humanitarian sea corridor to reach Gaza, to break the siege. There are going to be an overwhelming number of boats, the success lies in the long-term vision of Sumud,\u201d she said, recalling past attempts like the MV Mavi Marmara<\/em> tragedy where activists lost their lives.<\/p>\n

Asked about the current mood aboard the flotilla, Dr. Hendricks described a spirit of resilience and unity. \u201cThe mood is one of Sumud, one of courage and determination. There is international cooperation, a bringing of beauty and light over the darkness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joining the flotilla is Zukiswa Wanner, a writer and activist who returned Germany\u2019s prestigious Goethe Medal in protest of the country\u2019s complicity in the Gaza war. Wanner, the first African woman to receive the medal, explained in an interview with Radio Islam International<\/em><\/a> that her decision was spurred by the systemic silencing of pro-Palestinian voices. \u201cGermany canceled contracts for pro-Palestinian artists and applauded the Israeli collaborator in a joint Palestinian-Israeli film,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was clear that Germany\u2019s cultural policies were complicit in oppression, and I could not be part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wanner further urged African voices to lead with moral clarity in global solidarity. \u201cAs Africans, we must see the broader picture – wars in Sudan, Congo, and even incidents like Marikana in South Africa are connected. Weapons tested on Palestinians are then deployed across Africa, causing death and suffering, all for capitalism, not humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n

She emphasised that solidarity requires action, not just words. \u201cWe have a responsibility to challenge injustice wherever it manifests, and this flotilla is a moment for ordinary people to demonstrate courage and compassion,\u201d Wanner said.<\/p>\n

Both Hendricks and Wanner called on ordinary people to continue amplifying the mission. \u201cIt\u2019s up to each one of us to take on the moral responsibility to get behind this flotilla,\u201d Dr. Hendricks concluded. \u201cThe more eyes on us, the safer we will be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Listen<\/strong> to the full interview on Sabahul Muslim<\/em><\/a> with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat and Dr. Fatima Hendricks and Zukiswa Wanner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za 3-minute read | 04 September 2025 | 18:00 CAT The Global Sumud Flotilla, a massive civilian-led mission to break Israel\u2019s blockade of Gaza, has set sail from ports across the world, drawing international attention. Ten South Africans form part of this unprecedented effort, which activists describe as both a humanitarian mission […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":100319,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[28,4995,4998,4997],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-100310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news","category-south-africa","category-ummah","category-world"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Radio.jpg?fit=1193%2C1173&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pc0QIf-q5U","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-19 23:45:11","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100310","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=100310"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100310\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/100319"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=100310"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=100310"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=100310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}