Media spokespeople for the Global Sumud Flotilla, which is unarmed ships with volunteer crews carrying critical humanitarian aid bound for Gaza, have provided an update on the interception and alleged hostage taking by Israeli naval forces.
Further to boarding their ships and threatening them at gunpoint yesterday, the spokespeople say, ‘Families of the participants say that it has been more than 24 hours since they have heard from their loved ones’.
‘They are begging the Australian government to do everything possible to keep their loved ones safe’.
‘In an evolving situation, six Australians are being held hostage by Israel after they were captured in international waters West of Crete as they were attempting to deliver life-saving aid to Gaza.
Held hostage
‘The Australian delegation has confirmed that Bianca Webb-Pullman, Ethan Floyd, Zack Schofield, Neve O’Connor, Surya McEwen, and Cameron Tribe are all still being held hostage by Israel.
‘It is our understanding that the six Australians, with approximately 200 other global humanitarian volunteers, are being taken to Greece where they will be released in the coming hours/days.
‘Those vessels not intercepted yesterday made it safely into Greek territorial waters. This includes at least two Australians Anny Mokotow and Sam Woripa Watson.
‘The Australian Government are yet to make any public statements about the six Australians currently being held hostage’.
Subhi Awad, a spokesperson for the Australian delegation of the Global Sumud Flotilla and Palestinian organiser said: ‘These humanitarian volunteers were captured in the most egregious act of state-sanctioned piracy for the “crime” of attempting to get life-saving aid to Gaza. This once again shows that Israel will stop at no lengths to prevent aid getting to the sick and deliberately starved children and civilians in Palestine’.
‘Our message to the Australian government is that they need to pick up the phone and call their mate Isaac Hertzog, to get him to get our people home. Australia must immediately condemn this act of illegal kidnapping, end our complicity in the genocide, and urgently support all attempts to get aid to Gaza.’
Marissa, Ethan Floyd’s mother said in a statement: ‘We are beyond proud of Ethan and the others from around the world who have taken this trip at great personal risk to themselves. Their strength, courage and bravery is unmatched’.
‘Our government is failing them, miserably. It has been more than 24 hours since I first made contact with DFAT and Dan Repacholi as my local member.
‘I have not had one phone call, 1 text message, 1 email from anyone in the government informing me of what is happening to bring our citizens home.
‘I have had to call and call again. The responses I got were dismissive and incompetent. I ask all of you to continue to make noise, stand up loud and proud as Ethan has done.’
Bernadette Zaydan, Australian human rights lawyer said: ‘Israel employed war-like tactics to intercept the humanitarian flotilla sailing in international waters around 5am AEST, deploying both high- and low-altitude drones for hours to threaten, intimidate, and surveil civilian vessels. This is a clear violation of the freedom of navigation under international law’.
‘We also obtained witness statements confirming that Israel engaged in electronic warfare. By deliberately jamming the vessels’ radio communication systems, Israel prevented crews from exercising their right to make distress calls, recklessly endangering civilian lives and blocking coastal authorities from fulfilling their legal duty to respond to maritime emergencies.
‘The global legal team is now compiling evidence and preparing a legal report on these grave violations.’
‘A range of snap rallies are being organised in solidarity with Australians being held hostage. Information can be found here: https://let-aid-flow.carrd.co/
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