Dr Margaret Connolly said on Monday that she had been ‘kidnapped’ by the Israeli navy and now the forces have taken steps to stop activists challenging the blockage of Gaza
Israeli forces who have detained the sister of the President of Ireland have now intercepted one of the remaining Gaza flotilla boats, stopping the vessel when it was miles from Gaza.
According to the flotilla’s website tracker, Israeli forces were seen in a dinghy pulling up to the boat called the Andros and images showed activists with their arms in the air. A livestream on the website then went dark with a message saying the boat had been intercepted.
Dr Margaret Connolly, the sister of Catherine Connolly, was aboard one of 10 boats in a 60-vessel flotilla which were intercepted in international waters and boarded by Israeli forces, The Global Sumud Flotilla said. The Israeli navy’s new action resumed a day after they interdicted the activist flotilla in international waters off Cyprus.
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It is seen as was the latest attempt by the civil society-led maritime initiative to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and underscore the grim living conditions of Palestinians living in the territory.
Ireland’s president last night that she was “very proud” of her sister, who was sailing to Gaza as part of an aid convoy. But Ms Connolly added: “I am also very worried about her.”
In her video, Dr Connolly said: “If you are watching this video, it means I have been kidnapped from my boat in the flotilla by the Israeli occupying forces, and I’m now being held illegally in an Israeli prison.
“I am so proud to be taking part in this flotilla -it is the largest to date. Thousands of people all over the world – citizens like you and me – have volunteered their services to help with this flotilla.
“This is the largest one to date, and now we sail for Gaza to open a humanitarian pathway to bring much needed aid and medical supply to the people of Gaza.”
She added: “I feel utterly compelled – as a mother, a doctor, and as a human being – to help in this flotilla. I ask you all to support the call to immediately free my comrades in prison.
“I wish to appeal to the Irish government to enact the Occupied Territories Bill without fail. The cause of Palestine is the moral compass of our time, it is what makes us human. Their humanity is our humanity.”
Dozens of vessels departed from the port of Marmaris, Turkey, last week in what flotilla organizers described as the final leg of their planned journey to Gaza’s shores.
Some 41 boats were intercepted on Monday with another 10 continuing to sail before the Andros interception, according to Global Sumud Flotilla’s tracker.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the flotilla said: “This attack on the flotilla has no legal basis and all of the participants from Ireland and around the world on this flotilla are acting within the law to deliver aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza who have been failed by all states and international institutions.
“We are now extremely concerned for the safety and welfare of all 15 Irish participants and the hundreds of other participants who are on the flotilla.”
