Tehran – A new mural has been announced at Palestinian Square in Tehran. It featured images of the global SUMUD Flotilla, coinciding with reports of Israeli attacks on aid ships. The mural features the phrase “The sea will never be safe for the pharaoh.”
The unveiling occurred as global attention was escalated by the recent conflict in the sea where Israeli forces intercepted and boarded Gaza-bound aid fleet ships, Irna reported.
According to international media, the Israeli Navy intercepted a number of vessels belonging to the global Samud Fleet that attempted to violate Gaza’s maritime blockade to provide humanitarian aid.
The intercept reportedly featured multiple ships, detaining more than 100 activists and blocking safe passages.
The Israeli government has defended its actions, citing security concerns over attempts to violate the lockdown. However, critics have condemned the move as a violation of maritime and humanitarian norms, calling it a “terrorist act” targeting unarmed civilians.
The fleet included international activists, some of whom were prominent figures. In a statement, organizers alleged that they emphasized the peaceful nature of their mission and aimed to bring medical supplies, food and aid to Gaza’s besieged population.
As a right to occupation, Israel attacked ships previously bound to Gaza, seized cargo and attacked activists deported on board.
The mural phrase “The Sea is Never Safe for Pharaoh” evokes the story of Moses and Pharaoh in the book of Exodus, whom Pharaoh chased Moses and the Israelites across the Red Sea, and who owned when the water parted. The analogy suggests that tyranny (as represented here by Israel) is ultimately challenged and reverted by those seeking justice.
In political and activist discourse, calling “Pharaohs” helps frame oppressors that are often destined to fail historically.
Since October 2023, at least 66,225 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli massacre war in the Gaza Strip, bringing the number of injuries to 169,000 in the onslaught of Israel, the Ministry of Health said.
“Many victims are still trapped in tile rubs and roads because rescuers can’t reach them,” he added.
Israel maintained a Gaza blockade of nearly 2.4 million for nearly 18 years, and was further surrounded when it closed its border crossing in March to block food and medicine delivery and was forced into hunger.
The United Nations and rights groups have repeatedly warned that enclaves are becoming uninhabitable and that hunger and disease will spread rapidly.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Joab Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel is also facing a genocide case in the International Court of Justice due to its war with the enclave.
SS/SAB