Stranded billions: Hamas backs global dockwork stoppage
Dockworkers at 113 ports across 22 countries halted operations for a day, citing war logistics and labor conditions.
By Elena Perry ·
Hamas issued a statement of support for dockworkers who struck at more than 100 ports worldwide on Friday.
The protest targeted the use of commercial shipping lanes for arms transfers to Israel. Participants also demanded higher wages and improved safety protocols for seafarers. An estimated $2 billion in cargo sat idle during the disruption.
The No Harbour for Genocide (NHG) movement helped organize the action. The group coordinates with trade unions to identify vessels carrying military supplies. It released the day's slogan, "Dockworkers do not work for war," on its website. The organization claimed the strike left billions of dollars in goods stranded.
Apostolos Kypraios, head of the Greek union of merchant marine engineers, spoke at a rally in Piraeus. "We will not work for their wars, and we will not become food for their cannons," he told Reuters. He represented one of the 25 labor unions participating in the global effort.
The NHG declaration linked labor issues to geopolitical conflicts. It stated that the fight against war and genocide is tied to salary disputes and automation projects. The unions demanded that ports stop transporting arms, ammunition, and troops to war zones. They also called for trade unions to expose war cargoes and organize collective resistance.
The group outlined seven specific demands in its statement. These included the immediate end to the genocide in Gaza and the recognition of an independent Palestinian state. The list also called for an end to US-Israel wars of aggression in the Middle East. Additionally, it sought solidarity with the peoples of Cuba, Venezuela, and Sudan.
Hamas described the event as a prime example of global labor solidarity. The statement commended the participation of unions representing workers at 113 seaports in 22 countries. The group urged other labor organizations to join NHG and expand its influence. Hamas expressed its categorical rejection of the transfer of arms to what it called the occupying entity.
Protesters in Europe held signs reading "no to war, no to armament" and "embargo on Zionism now" at major ports. The NHG website tracks shipments to support these actions. It has logged 315 shipments of Elbit Systems components through 56 ports in 29 countries from August 2025 to September 2026. The group also tracked 3,400 shipments supplying US military bases through 67 ports in 42 countries during the same period.
The movement maintains a database titled "What passes through this port." This tool allows dockworkers to identify vessels they deem complicit in supplying Israel. The website categorizes ships based on the types of cargo they transport. It encourages activists to block vessels that are not on the blacklist if they suspect the ships are carrying military or dual-use supplies.
