The Gaza Flotilla Story You Didn’t Hear

Reveal

The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX

News

4.7 • 218 Ratings

🗓️ 2 May 2026

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Last fall, hundreds of activists from all over the world crowded onto several dozen boats and set sail for Gaza. Their goal: Break through Israel’s blockade of the territory and end one of the worst humanitarian crises on the planet. They thought that by sharing their journey through social media, they could capture the world’s attention.

At first, it was easy to dismiss the Global Sumud Flotilla—until it wasn’t. Before reaching Gaza, the flotilla was attacked by drones, and activists were arrested by the Israeli navy.

“We were at gunpoint; like, you could see the laser on our chest,” says flotilla participant Louna Sbou.

They were then sent to a high-security prison in the middle of the Negev desert.

“You have no control, you have no information, and you have no rights,” says Carsie Blanton, another participant. “They could do whatever they want to you.”

This week on Reveal, as a new flotilla recently set sail for Gaza, we’re bringing back our story about the Global Sumud Flotilla from last fall for a firsthand look at what activists faced on their journey and whether their efforts made any difference.

This is an update of an episode that first aired in December 2025.

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Transcript

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1:09.3	Stand up for the truth today.
1:12.6	From the Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX,
1:16.4	this is Reveal.
1:18.0	I'm Nadia Hamdan, sitting in for Al-Latzen.
1:23.2	In late September, somewhere on the Mediterranean Sea,
1:30.9	my friend Lunis-Ble sent me this voice note.
1:40.7	It's crazy to know that I'm laying in a room where to my left and right, everywhere around me, is the sea.
1:46.4	I don't know if you can hear it in the background, but that's the sea.
1:51.0	The engine is off, and the boat is just drifting.
	...

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