Jared Sacks and team rest in Tunisia before sailing to Gaza with critical aid. Image: Federico Scoppa via AFP.
(The Post News)– On Monday, Jared Sacks, a postgraduate researcher at the University of Johannesburg and member of Jews for a Free Palestine, rested in Tunisia with a group of South Africans as they prepared to cross the Mediterranean to deliver relief supplies to Gaza. Together, they aim to bypass restrictions and bring humanitarian aid directly to the people who need it most.
Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis
Sacks and the South African volunteers have closely followed the situation in Gaza. The United Nations’ Integrated Food Security Phase Classification recently described Gaza as facing starvation, though Israel has challenged the assessment. Sacks and his group insist the world must focus on the humanitarian crisis rather than political disputes.
In an interview with Jacaranda FM News on Monday afternoon, Jared Sacks explained that Israel violates international law by maintaining a blockade around Gaza and occupying Palestinian lands.
He said that for two years, he and his fellow South Africans have written letters, composed opinion pieces, and demonstrated, but these efforts have had limited impact. “So, we resolved, why don’t we deliver aid directly to Gaza ourselves?” Jared Sacks said.
Direct Action and Humanitarian Mission
The group has prepared essential supplies, including food, medicine, and medical equipment, to distribute upon arrival. Jared Sacks emphasized that they plan to coordinate with local contacts in Gaza to reach the most vulnerable people. He stressed that their mission is humanitarian, even if political tensions may interpret it differently.
Sacks highlighted Israel’s replacement of UN aid agencies with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). He described the GHF as a “deeply troubling example of how humanitarian efforts can be misused for secret military and political objectives in grave violation of international law.” Jared Sacks and his group support calls for the international community to demand the immediate disbandment of the GHF.
According to Jared Sacks, Israeli troops and foreign military contractors fire indiscriminately at people seeking aid at GHF-managed distribution centers. He said that almost 1,400 individuals have been killed and over 4,000 wounded while attempting to obtain food, with at least 859 dying near GHF sites since late May 2025.
Sacks pointed out that the centers remain extremely difficult for women, children, the disabled, and the elderly to reach safely. He explained that the blockade and restrictions on UN agencies have created severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies. He stressed that immediate action by his group is essential to prevent further suffering.
For Sacks and the South African volunteers, the journey represents a commitment to direct humanitarian intervention. They have prepared logistics, planned routes, and organized supplies to ensure that their mission reaches those most in need. He said the group hopes to inspire others to take action when governments fail to respond.
As they prepared to depart Tunisia, he expressed hope that their mission would draw global attention to Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. “This is not about politics; this is about people dying from hunger and preventable injuries,” Jared Sacks said. “If governments fail to act, we cannot wait. We must step in ourselves.”
Sacks and the South Africans’ journey highlights a new model of humanitarian activism, where individuals take initiative to provide relief despite political and logistical obstacles. He remains determined to lead his team, ensuring that aid reaches Gaza and that the world witnesses the human cost of the ongoing blockade.
As Jared Sacks and the South African volunteers prepare to depart Tunisia, they emphasize that their mission responds to the escalating war in Gaza, which has left thousands dead and displaced countless families. They hope to deliver critical aid directly to civilians trapped in the conflict and to draw international attention to the human cost of military operations and the blockade.
Sacks remains determined to lead his team, insisting that humanitarian relief cannot wait for political solutions and that urgent action is necessary to save lives amid the devastation of war.
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