At least 87 Gaza aid flotilla activists taken into Israeli custody

Israeli Forces Intercept Last Vessel Bound for Gaza, 87 Detainees Begin Hunger Strike

At least 87 people abducted by Israeli forces from an aid flotilla bound for Gaza have begun a hunger strike, according to organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla. The group’s statement on X noted that the detainees are striking “in protest of their illegal abduction and in solidarity with the over 9,500 Palestinian hostages held in Israeli dungeons.”

On Tuesday evening, Israeli forces intercepted six people on board the Lina al-Nabulsi boat, which was part of a group of more than 50 vessels that departed from Turkiye’s port city of Marmaris last week. The boats were sailing towards Gaza with the goal of breaking Israel’s blockade.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that its forces had taken hundreds of flotilla participants into custody, including nine Indonesian citizens and 15 Irish citizens. Indonesia has called for the immediate release of all vessels, while countries such as Turkiye, Spain, Jordan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, and Colombia have denounced the Israeli interceptions as “blatant violations of international law and international humanitarian law.”

The United States has imposed sanctions on four activists involved in previous flotilla attempts to reach Gaza. The Global Sumud Flotilla’s organisers stated that the detainees are beginning a hunger strike in protest of their treatment.

Source: Al Jazeera