OFFSTONE JAN EDITION 2026

65 DIGITAL SUMUD: MALAYSIAN ONLINE SOLIDARITY AND INTERNATIONAL ADVOCACY IN THE 2025 GAZA FLOTILLA MISSION By: Dr. Hashim Bin Ahmad Shiyuti hashim@usim.edu.my Dr. Hashim Bin Ahmad Shiyuti is a Senior Lecturer at Pusat Tamhidi, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). With a PhD in Business Management, he specializes in Islamic banking, zakat entrepreneurship, and shariah governance. An active researcher and managing editor, he is dedicated to community empowerment and advancing Islamic financial systems. ABSTRACT This article examines the function of digital solidarity in the 2025 Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) mission. It examines how Malaysian activists employed social media to apply worldwide pressure during the interception of humanitarian volunteers. The integration of Islamic principles of Sumud (steadfastness) with real-time digital communication converted the mission from a physical journey into a potent instrument for global civil society advocacy. Introduction The notion of Sumud, or constancy, has historically served as a spiritual and political foundation within the Islamic tradition of resilience. This principle was prominently illustrated during the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) in late 2025 within the framework of contemporary humanitarianism. This mission, intended to breach the naval blockade of Gaza, was not just a physical expedition of vessels but a pivotal moment in the advancement of digital solidarity and global civil society movement. A report by Sinar Daily in 2025 indicates that the flotilla constituted a substantial coalition of more than 50 vessels from 44 countries, with Malaysia assuming a crucial role via