The State of Israel has intercepted several boats belonging to the Global Sumud Flotilla aid convoy that hopes to break the Israeli blockade of the territory and bring humanitarian aid to Gaza. According to tracking data from the Global Sumud Flotilla aid fleet, Israel intercepted or stopped a total of 13 boats at around 4 a.m. in the international waters it controls. Some 40 vessels with activists from many nations were making their way to the Gaza strip.
On board the ships are activists from various countries, including seven people from Belgium; at least four Belgians including a Belgian woman have been arrested. A further 3 have probably been detained by the Israeli authorities.
According to the Global Sumud Flotilla organisation, the Belgian woman was arrested by the Israeli army. The aid flotilla's website features a recorded video message from Latifa Gharbaoui Khlifi: ‘If you are seeing this, I have been kidnapped by Israel’. A total of 18 boats has now already been intercepted or stopped by Israel.
The second detained Belgian is believed to be a man.
‘If you are seeing this video, I have been illegally arrested by the Israeli army,’ says human rights activist and lawyer Alexis Deswaef. As a lawyer he is refusing to sign any documents and says he is going on hunger strike.
‘Free Gaza, free Palestine,’ is how he concludes his message.
Belgian foreign Minister Maxime Prévot (Francophone centrist Les Engagés) says he is closely monitoring the situation of the Belgians on board the aid flotilla.
‘Our diplomats are aware of the situation and have been mobilised. We will contact our compatriots as soon as possible’ he noted.
Other Belgians are determined to complete the mission they have embarked upon.
‘We will continue. This is absolutely necessary as long as the blockade remains in place and governments are unable to send humanitarian aid,’ says Dr Hanne Bosselaers, who is currently on an aid ship off the coast of Crete.
Around 30 boats are continuing their journey towards Gaza, according to the action group. They are reportedly only 46 nautical miles, or around 85 kilometres, from Gaza.