SEPANG, Oct 2 — The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) humanitarian mission approaching Gaza waters with aid supplies for the Palestinians turned into an international crisis when several ships in the convoy, including those carrying Malaysians, were intercepted and detained by the Israeli navy in the red zone of the Mediterranean Sea last night.
The GSF mission, which involved 10 ships carrying 23 Malaysians to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, was scheduled to arrive at the coast of the conflict region at around 6.32pm Malaysia time today, but the journey was disrupted after being intercepted by the Israeli navy.
As of 1pm, the Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC) has confirmed that a total of 12 Malaysians have been detained after their ship entered the R3 red zone, about 100 nautical miles from the Gaza coast.
Those detained include celebrities, humanitarian activists and volunteers, including Heliza Helmi and her sister, Nur Hazwani Afiqah Helmi (ship Hio); Norfarahin Romli or Farah Lee and Danish Nazram Murad (Grande Blu); and Nur Fazelah Mad Tahil or Zizi Kirana (Huga).
Also detained were Haikal Abdullah, Muaz Zainal, Zulfadhli Khairudin and Rusydi Ramli (Sirius), as well as Iylia Balqis, Musa Nuwayri and Sul Aidil (Alma).
Meanwhile, five other Malaysians who were on board the Estrella and Mikeno ships were reported to have lost contact with SNCC, with their status still unconfirmed.
Three other ships — Fair Lady, Free Willy and Inana — which also carried Malaysians, were confirmed to be still sailing and maintaining communication with the control centre.
Those on board the ships were Zainal Rashid Ahmad and Ustaz Muhammad Abdullah (Fair Lady), Muhammad Hareez Adzrami and Dr Taufiq Mohd Razif (Free Willy) as well as Razali Awang (Inana).
The GSF humanitarian mission faced communication disruptions believed to be caused by ‘radar jammer’ equipment used by the Israeli military, in addition to aggressive actions such as high-pressure water sprays and radio interference, including provocative messages such as “See you in jail” sent to convoy participants.
The Israeli navy is believed to have deployed members of its naval commando unit called Sayeret Matkal to board the GSF boats and detain participants of the international humanitarian flotilla, including Malaysians.
The Israeli action drew the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who strongly condemned the regime’s military actions targeting humanitarian aid ships and unarmed civilians.
“By obstructing the humanitarian mission, Israel is showing disrespect not only for the rights of the Palestinian people, but also for the conscience of the world,” he said.
“This flotilla symbolises solidarity, compassion and hope to alleviate the suffering of those living under siege,” he added.
The prime minister stressed that Malaysia will use all legal channels in accordance with international law to ensure that Israel is held accountable, especially regarding the safety of Malaysians involved in the mission.
The entire national leadership and Malaysians also strongly condemned the inhumane actions of the Zionist regime against the GSF mission, which aims only to deliver aid to the people of Gaza.
In a press conference, SNCC director-general Datuk Dr Sani Araby Abdul Alim said that all participants, including the detained Malaysians, are believed to be safe on their respective ships.
“SNCC confirms that the Israeli military has ordered several ships to change their routes from their original destinations to locations that have not been confirmed,” he said.
“We are confident that our delegates are being treated well because all the information received is directly from those on board, including from other international delegations,” he added.
Despite facing pressure and restrictions, he stressed that Malaysian volunteers remain committed and steadfast in their humanitarian mission to help the people of Gaza, who are in dire need. — Bernama
