In a video released last week, the Spanish-born Salesian priest who serves as Archbishop of Rabat and was appointed to his high-ranking position by the late Pope Francis following his official visit to Morocco in 2019, expressed his solidarity with what organizers describe as the largest attempt yet to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza by sea.
“I want to stand in solidarity, personally and institutionally, with this effort to seek peace and denounce injustice,” said Cardinal López Romero in his message to flotilla participants. He urged the public not to remain “anchored in indifference” and offered his blessing and prayers for the activists’ safety.
The cardinal, who briefly emerged as a papal contender after Pope Francis’ death, called the flotilla “an act of solidarity, courage and commitment.” Though unable to join physically, he stated he would accompany the mission “in spirit,” praying for its success and for an awakening of global consciousness about the Palestinian situation.
More than 50 boats departed from Tunisia and other Mediterranean ports on Sunday. The mission takes its name from a land convoy that attempted to reach Gaza in June but was forced to turn back after being intercepted near Sirte by forces loyal to Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar.
Cardinal López Romero framed the voyage as more than a humanitarian mission, but as a moral reckoning. “This is an awakening for all societies, to the injustice being committed against the Palestinian people,” he stated, calling for broad support of the initiative.
Celebrities, leaders, clergy rally behind Gaza
The Global Sumud Flotilla is a joint effort by Tunisia’s Coordination for Joint Action for Palestine, the Freedom Flotilla, Global Freedom to Gaza, and Asia’s Sumud Nusantara. Organizers claim the convoy will surpass the combined size of all previous flotillas, carrying an estimated 300 tons of food and relief supplies.
Several high-profile figures have rallied behind the voyage. Colombian President Gustavo Petro sent a letter of solidarity, calling it “a living testimony of humanity that still rises in the face of barbarism.”
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has joined along with Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, Irish actor Liam Cunningham, Spanish actor Eduardo Fernández, and former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau.
The cardinal’s support reflects his ongoing commitment to interfaith dialogue and social justice. In previous statements, he noted that “in Morocco, there are Muslims willing to sacrifice their lives for me… and I am also ready to sacrifice my life for them,” stressing the importance of building bridges rather than walls between communities.
Continuity of concern, contrast in papal style
Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV, who became the first US pontiff when elected in May, has taken a more restrained diplomatic approach to the Gaza genocide compared to his predecessor. Last week, Pope Leo met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the Vatican – the first papal meeting with an Israeli leader in seven years.
During this significant diplomatic encounter, Pope Leo and Vatican officials lamented the “tragic situation in Gaza” and called for a permanent ceasefire, as well as the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. The Vatican issued an unusually lengthy statement after the meeting, reaffirming support for a two-state solution to the decades-long conflict.
Unlike Pope Francis, who sometimes made headlines with unexpected comments – including suggesting Israel might be committing genocide in Gaza – Pope Leo favors working behind the scenes through traditional diplomatic channels.
This contrast was evident in July when Leo chose not to make immediate public statements after an Israeli strike on Gaza’s sole Catholic church. Instead, he received a phone call from Netanyahu and appealed for “a renewed push for negotiations, a ceasefire and an end to the war.”
During his meeting with Herzog, Leo maintained a serious facial expression, reminiscent of Francis’ unsmiling photos with foreign leaders intended to send diplomatic signals. While Francis made nightly calls to the Gaza church’s pastor throughout the genocide, Leo has taken a more formal approach.
John Thavis, a retired longtime Vatican correspondent, noted that “the concern has been the same but the language has been somewhat different,” referring to the diplomatic styles of Francis and Leo, according to Reuters.
Activists tell Leo: sail with the flotilla
In a separate incident on Monday, an incendiary bomb was reportedly dropped on one of the lead vessels of the flotilla, the Family Boat, as it was moored in a Tunisian harbor. A video from Al Jazeera shows the moment a drone dropped what appeared to be a flaming fireball onto the deck. No injuries were reported, and the vessel suffered only minor damage.
Some activists and religious figures have called for Pope Leo to join the flotilla personally, with American singer Madonna lending her voice to this appeal. An article in Common Dreams argued that the Pope’s physical presence could “unleash the power of his moral authority to stop the extermination of the Palestinian people.”
The Sumud Flotilla continues a tradition of civilian attempts to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza by sea, which has been in place since 2007.
In 2008, two boats from the Free Gaza Movement successfully reached Gaza, but all subsequent flotilla attempts have been intercepted, including a 2010 incident when Israeli commandos boarded the Mavi Marmara, killing 10 volunteers and injuring dozens more.