Local flotilla co-ordinator Khaled Boujemâa announced his resignation in protest at the presence of LGBTQ activists in the flotilla, including Saif Ayadi, who identifies as a “queer activist”.

Figures, including activist Mariem Meftah and presenter Samir Elwafi, condemned what they saw as an attempt to impose a cultural progressive agenda unrelated to the "palestinian" cause, describing it as a red line crossed and an attack on societal values.

Meftah stressed that such activism is viewed as incompatible with Islamic beliefs and warned against using “the sacred cause of Al-Aqsa” to advance unrelated agendas.