WATCH | Palestinians’ plight is worse than apartheid, says Mandla Mandela

Nelson Mandela's grandson says Palestinians' lives under Israeli occupation are worse than anything black South Africans experienced under apartheid — and has urged the global community to come to their aid.

Mandla Mandela, 51, spoke to Reuters on Wednesday night at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, where he was boarding a flight to Tunisia to join a flotilla aiming to deliver food and humanitarian supplies to Gaza despite an Israeli naval blockade.

"Many of us who have visited the occupied territories in Palestine have come back with one conclusion: the Palestinians are experiencing a far worse form of apartheid than we ever experienced," Mandela said.

"We believe the global community has to continue supporting the Palestinians, just as they stood side-by-side with us."

Israel has rejected comparisons between the lives of Palestinians who have lived under occupation or economic blockade for more than half a century and the apartheid era in South Africa, when the black majority was ruled by a repressive white minority government.

It has also defended its tight restriction on the supply of humanitarian and other goods to Gaza, saying it aims to stop weapons from reaching the militant group Hamas.

Starvation is widespread in the enclave, according to the World Food Programme, and an authoritative hunger monitor said a quarter of the population are suffering from famine.

Mandela is joining 10 South African activists in the Global Sumud Flotilla, which includes dozens of boats and hundreds of people from 44 countries, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

The ANC said their mission "echoes our own struggle for liberation".

Mandela emphasised that when apartheid ended in 1994, it came after intense pressure and sanctions from other nations.

"They isolated apartheid South Africa and finally collapsed it. We believe the time has come for that to be done for the Palestinians."

Reuters