TEL AVIV, May 20 — Israeli authorities have said that 430 activists aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla were en route to Israel, after their vessels were intercepted at sea.

Sailing from Turkey last week, the Global Sumud Flotilla vessels are the latest in a string of attempts by activists to breach Israel’s blockade of the Palestinian territory, with the last convoy intercepted by Israeli forces last month.

“Another PR flotilla has come to an end. All 430 activists have been transferred to Israeli vessels and are making their way to Israel, where they will be able to meet with their consular representatives,” a spokesman from Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said late yesterday.

“This flotilla has once again proved to be nothing more than a PR stunt at the service of Hamas,” the spokesman added.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier denounced the flotilla as “a malicious scheme designed to break the blockade we have imposed on Hamas terrorists in Gaza”.

The US yesterday sanctioned four people associated with the Global Sumud Flotilla and accused them of being “pro-terrorist”.

Around 50 ships had departed from southwestern Turkey on Thursday.

A website tracking the flotilla’s location later showed several vessels being intercepted west of Cyprus.

Nine Indonesian citizens who were part of the flotilla “have all been reported arrested by Israel,” a spokeswoman for Indonesia’s foreign ministry said, citing information dated today.

Indonesia called on Israel to immediately release all vessels and crew members, adding that “every diplomatic channel and consular measure will continue to be fully utilised”.

Indonesian newspaper Republika earlier said two of its journalists were among the nine Indonesians detained.

Turkey and Spain have condemned the interception.

Organisers said the flotilla also included 15 Irish citizens, including Margaret Connolly, sister of President Catherine Connolly.

Israel controls all entry points into Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007.

During the Gaza war, triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, the territory has suffered severe shortages of food, medicine and other essential supplies, with Israel at times halting aid deliveries entirely.

A previous flotilla attempt was intercepted last month in international waters off Greece, with most activists expelled to Europe. — AFP

PUTRAJAYA, May 20 — The Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC) has confirmed that all 10 vessels involved in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) 2.0 mission have been intercepted by the Israeli forces as of 8.25pm Malaysian time.

SNCC said the latest intercepted vessel, Alcyone, was carrying two Malaysians, namely Muhammad Hareez Adzrami and Chin Shiau Weai.

“Further developments will be officially announced by SNCC. A press conference will be held tomorrow,” SNCC said in a brief statement last night.

Separately, the GSF said it had received confirmation that hundreds of civilian participants abducted during yesterday’s alleged illegal Israeli naval assault on the high seas were currently being forcibly transported by Israeli forces to a port in occupied Palestine.

“The naval vessel carrying our kidnapped participants, including doctors, journalists and human rights defenders from more than 40 nations, is scheduled to dock within approximately two hours,” it said.

GSF added that the organisation demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all participants, alongside more than 9,000 Palestinian political prisoners, while also calling on world leaders to demand the release of flotilla participants, Palestinian political prisoners and hostages, as well as an end to the genocide and blockade on Gaza.

The organisation also expressed grave and immediate concerns over the physical safety and well-being of those detained following testimonies from the April 29 alleged illegal abduction of GSF participants in international waters, which detailed patterns of torture, severe physical abuse and invasive sexual violence allegedly perpetrated by Israeli forces. — Bernama 

PETALING JAYA, May 20 — Malaysia is demanding for the Israeli Zionist regime to immediately release 25 of its citizens who are members and crew of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) detained off the coast of Cyprus on May 18.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the action runs counter to basic human rights and international law, as the group were not within Israeli waters when they were intercepted by the country’s authority.

“We demand that the Israeli Zionist regime accord them proper treatment and release them immediately as this is against basic human rights and international law.

“They did not intrude… they were (located) far off (the coast of Cyprus). And yet they were intercepted, and there were citizens of many other countries who were also detained by the Israeli Zionist regime,” he said, during a media conference at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base in Subang, on Tuesday.

Mohamad said he also would like to thank his counterpart from Türkiye, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and the government of Turkiye for successfully bringing home 10 Malaysia citizens who were detained earlier.

“But now we have more detained.

“We ask for them to be accorded proper treatment and be released immediately,” he said.

Mohamad said for other Malaysians were earlier detained by the Greek authority when their vessel sank while in the process of bringing it back.

Mohamad said three other crew or participants have been released while two more – the captain and first officer — have been detained and tried before being freed by the court.

“They have all returned to Istanbul.

“We would like to again thank my counterpart, Hakan Fidan, and the government of Turkiye,” he said. — Bernama 

KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 — Four Malaysians are still continuing their journey towards Gaza even as most vessels in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF 2.0) convoy have been intercepted and detained by Israeli forces.

They are Muhammad Hareez Adzrami, also known as Haroqs, and Chin aboard the vessel Alcyone; Syed Amirul on Don Juan; and Dr Thanisah on Zefiro, according to a report published in Berita Harian today.

Of the 44 ships in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF 2.0), only eight remain active, including Nablus (Alcyone), Beit Hanoun (Zefiro) and Isdud (Don Juan), which carry the four Malaysians.

Five other active GSF vessels are Hawsha (Cabo Blanco), Balad al-Sheik (Girolama), Kasrı Sadabat, Ramle (Sirius) and Akka (Andros).

At present, Nablus is 157.8 nautical miles from Gaza, while Zefiro and Isdud are 162.7 and 158.2 nautical miles away respectively.

According to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) tracker, several vessels under its separate mission have already been intercepted, leaving only Lina Al-Nabusi still active.

The GSF 2.0 mission is carrying humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis linked to the prolonged conflict in the region.

So far, 16 Malaysians involved in the GSF 2.0 humanitarian mission have been detained by Israeli forces.

SEPANG, May 18 — The Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC) has confirmed that eight Malaysians participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) 2.0 mission were detained by the Israeli Forces as of 6pm Malaysian time today after the vessels they were travelling on were intercepted while en route to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Activist Zainal Rashid Ahmad was detained at 5pm while sailing aboard the vessel Amanda.

Muhamad Muhsin Zaidi, who was on board the Isobella, was intercepted at 5.20pm while three Malaysians travelling on the Ferluto — S. Patmanathan, Muhammad Amirul Afif Mohd Azhar and Dr Syakirin Muhamed Senin — were detained at 4.50pm. 

Two others detained were Mohammad Syazly Mohammad Shees and Tengku Ahmad Taufik Tengku Noor Zahari after their vessel, Cactus, was intercepted at 4pm.

Activist Ahmad Musa Al-Nuwayri Kamaruzzaman, who was sailing on the Josef/Yusuf, was detained at 5.35pm. 

SNCC director-general Datuk Dr Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby said the flotilla was about 241 nautical miles from the Gaza coast when it was intercepted, within recognised international waters protected under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“The IOF adopted provocative tactics by deploying several rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) towards the flotilla, while the presence of two warships and a prison ship was also detected near the flotilla’s operational area,” he told a press conference on the latest developments surrounding the GSF 2.0 mission here today.

Sani Araby said 11 flotilla vessels had been intercepted, approached and subjected to direct interference by Israeli forces, namely Cactus, Zio Faster, Holy Blue, Ferluto, Kyriakos, Amanda, Blue Toys, Barbaris, Isobella, Josef and Tenaz (Freedom Flotilla).

He said two other individuals detained involved Sumud Nusantara delegates Abdul Sattar Edhi Muhammad Saad from Pakistan, who was aboard the Zio Faster, and Indonesian national Andi Anga Prasadewa, who was travelling on the Josef.

Sani Araby said 41 flotilla vessels, including those carrying 21 Malaysians, were continuing their voyage to Gaza despite facing extremely high security risks due to ongoing threats of interception, harassment and aggressive action by Israeli forces.

“SNCC is closely monitoring the latest developments involving the flotilla operation and will continue to provide official updates from time to time regarding the safety status and movement of the flotilla.

“SNCC also calls on the international community, human rights organisations and the global maritime community to give serious attention to the intimidation and security threats faced by this civilian humanitarian mission in international waters,” he said. — Bernama 

JERUSALEM, May 18 — Israeli forces were intercepting a Gaza-bound aid flotilla on Monday after it set sail from Turkey last week, with organisers saying one of the vessels was stopped west of Cyprus.

“Military vessels are currently intercepting our fleet and IDF forces are currently boarding the first of our boats in broad daylight,” the Global Sumud Flotilla posted on X.

“We demand safe passage for our legal, non-violent humanitarian mission. Governments must act now to stop these illegal acts or piracy meant to maintain Israel’s genocidal siege on Gaza.

“Normalisation of the occupation’s violence is a threat to us all.”

Around 50 ships had departed from south-western Turkey on Thursday as part of the flotilla.

On Monday, Israel had vowed to block the vessels.

“Israel will not allow any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza,” the foreign ministry posted on X.

“Israel calls on all participants in this provocation to change course and turn back immediately.”

The ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on whether Israeli forces were intercepting the boats.

The Global Sumud Flotilla is the third initiative in a year aimed at breaking an Israeli blockade of Gaza, which has suffered severe shortages of food, water, medicine and fuel since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in October 2023.

Israeli authorities reject claims of aid shortages, saying the Palestinian territory is “flooded” with supplies.

Israeli forces intercepted the second flotilla in international waters off Greece on April 30, expelling most of the activists to Europe.

But they arrested two of them, who were held for several days in Israel before they were deported.

Rights groups said the arrests were illegal and that the men suffered abuse while in Israeli detention.

Israeli authorities have rejected the abuse allegations but filed no charges against the pair. — AFP 

PUTRAJAYA, May 17 — The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) vessels are currently in waters around Greece and Turkiye for maintenance on their communication systems and engines, according to the Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC).

SNCC director-general Datuk Dr Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby said in a statement tonight that the technical stopover is temporary and does not involve activists landing ashore.

“Rough sea conditions along the operational route have affected the movement of the GSF vessels. The ships are expected to resume their voyage to Gaza on May 17 after all operational preparations are completed,” he said.

In the meantime, he urged Malaysians to continue performing Solat Hajat (prayer of need), Qunut Nazilah (supplication during calamity), and continuous prayers for the safety of the entire mission delegation and the success of the efforts to liberate Gaza.

“SNCC calls on all Malaysians to unite and double their efforts in spreading authentic facts and history, countering the malicious propaganda of the regime, and raising public awareness across all media platforms,” he said.

The current GSF mission involves nearly 500 international participants from 45 countries, mobilised by various global humanitarian activist groups.

Official enquiries regarding the mission can be made through its portal at tanya.sumudnusantara.com. — Bernama