KUALA LUMPUR: Volunteers of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), including 23 Malaysians detained by Israeli forces since yesterday, continue to draw strength from prayers, global solidarity and the concern of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.
His Majesty said the GSF mission reflects universal brotherhood, as volunteers of different races and faiths, including Malaysians, were willing to take great risks to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
“They were only carrying food supplies but were blocked and detained. This clearly goes against humanitarian values,” His Majesty said in a post on the Royal Press Office Facebook page after an audience with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Malaysian humanitarian activist Muhammad Nadir Al-Nuri Kamaruzaman, better known as Nadir Al-Nuri, said all 23 Malaysians are currently at Ashdod Port, and the GSF legal team has started to establish contact with them.
The Malaysian Embassy in Amman, Jordan, also said it has met with the Malaysian legal team in Amman to ensure that the detained Malaysians receive fair legal protection.
The Embassy is closely monitoring developments concerning Malaysians involved in the GSF mission, especially those detained by Israeli authorities.
In a consular notice posted on its official Facebook page today, the Embassy said it is also in contact with ASEAN counterparts in Amman and Tel Aviv to obtain updates on the detainees and provide the necessary consular assistance.
The flotilla, which brought together more than 450 activists from 47 countries – including Greta Thunberg, Susan Sarandon and Mandla Mandela, was intercepted by Israeli forces in an operation that lasted several hours.
Israel’s move has drawn sharp international reactions, with Turkiye, Spain, South Africa and Canada calling for the immediate release of the activists. Amnesty International also criticised the action, describing it as a violation of international maritime law.
The Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC) said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has assured that Malaysia is making maximum efforts to secure the release of its citizens detained in the mission.
In a statement today, SNCC director-general Datuk Dr Sani Araby Abdul Alim said the Prime Minister contacted him at 8.10 am today to check on the condition of the activists and their families, extending his regards and reaffirming the government’s commitment.
SNCC also confirmed that only one vessel in the GSF mission, the Marinette, is still heading towards Gaza.
According to its tracking data, the ship was last in international waters about 80 nautical miles from https://globalsumudflotilla.org/live/. Israeli forces first intercepted the flotilla. No Malaysians are on board the Marinette, which can be tracked live at https://globalsumudflotilla.org/live/.
Meanwhile, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) announced that 11 ships are currently sailing towards Gaza in defiance of Israel’s long-standing blockade.
In a statement on Thursday, the FFC said two boats flying Italian and French flags departed from the port of Otranto, Italy, on Sept 25, and were later joined by the vessel Conscience on Sept 30, Anadolu Agency reported.
These vessels are expected to merge with another eight-boat convoy, “Thousand Madeleines to Gaza,” forming a fleet of 11 ships bound for Gaza. Around 100 activists are on board, with the ships last tracked in the waters off Crete.
Established in 2008, the FFC has organised numerous missions to deliver aid and highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza under Israeli blockade.
The coalition said this latest convoy set sail just a day after Israeli naval forces intercepted and seized several flotilla boats attempting to reach the Gaza Strip.