Good News For Flotilla Hostages But Gazans Still In Hell

Updated Media release 10.5.26, 1800 hours AEST

Global Sumud Flotilla Australian Delegation

Relief Hostages Thiago & Saif Freed,

Saif Reaches Madrid, Thiago in Egypt,

57 GSF Boats Converge in Turkey,

10 Brave Aussies Complete This Stage of Journey,

International Laws Broken,

Expressions of Solidarity with Mothers in Occupied Territories & Facing Scarcity or Harm to Loved Ones.

The Global Sumud Flotilla has crossed international waters from multiple ports to merge into one large group of over 57 boats in Turkey. 

https://globalsumudflotilla.org/tracker/

Ten brave Aussies have completed the most recent maritime journey to Turkey where more compatriots await.

Relief over the claimed release of hostages of Israel Thiago Avilaand Saif Abukeshek is tempered by apprehension about the grim long term impacts of their ordeal at the hands of Israeli captors. They have been spotted in Athens and Egypt.

Saif has been released from israeli captivity and after 6 brutal days, his message is clear: people power matters.

Still, thousands of Palestinian prisoners are being held hostage in israeli dungeons, subjected to inhumane conditions. We are one small step closer to a free Palestine but our fight is far from over. We must continue to push against empire on all fronts!

A heartfelt thank you Saif and Thiago’s legal team at Adalah and to all who mobilized and applied pressure at every level for the safe return of our comrades. 

Saif Abukeshek in Athens just now.

See for updates: https://globalsumudflotilla.org/press/ 

“Each completed stage of this journey is a victory for awareness of the need for humanitarian support for Gaza. The flotilla has become an international exercise in cross-cultural cooperation run courageously and non violently for and by the people not governments,” said Head of the Australian delegation Simon Jones.

22 boats of the original 79 were taken by Israel in an interception near Crete.

Neve O’Connor, Zack Schofield and Surya McEwen set sail for the second time, just days after being released from detention by Israeli Defence Forces. They were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) fleet sailing from Italy to Greece that was intercepted by the Israeli Navy last week.

They were joined by Juliet and Isla Lamont, Sam Woripa Watson andAnny Mokotow, also from GSF’s Australian delegation. Their fleet will converge with boats from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, sailing with Australians Violet Coco, Helen O’Sullivan and Gemma O’Toole on board, bringing the total number of Australians sailing to Gaza to 10.

Australian participant Zack Schofield (who was detained for more than two days by Israeli forces) today, said:

"Australians have found ourselves tethered by our government to a state that is conducting a genocide according to every credible human rights organisation in the world - including many, like Oxfam, that ordinary Australians donate millions of dollars to every year. 

"They were always masked, but I've now looked into the eyes of soldiers who have almost certainly taken part in the killing of civilians in Gaza, and witnessed the violence they enjoyed inflicting on my friends for trying to get food and medicine to Palestinians.

"If Australians want to live in a fair world, we have to stand up for fairness. We have to take risks for others, no matter their religion or place of birth. As long as I'm able, I'll keep sailing to Gaza despite the risks of violence from our allied state.

"I have to believe most Australians don't support the casual brutality and cruelty of the Israeli government.

"I was told that courage and mateship were core Australian values - but it seems more and more like our government is terrified of offending a regime that just celebrated a new law to execute prisoners based on their race.

"I'm willing to face a beating if it means a chance of getting food and medicine to ordinary people being bombed in their tents, shot at aid sites, and starved. That's an easy choice to make”.

Next steps for the Global Sumud Flotilla must again be assessed. 

“Participants are determined to maintain people-powered support for Palestine by every means open to us,” said Neve O’Connor.

The response of the Turkish government to the arrival of GSF in their waters is unclear. As with Tunisia (which has jailed 8 flotilla activists) there will be acute pressure from Israel to disrupt the mission.

“International law has been repeatedly violated by the capture and detention of supporters of Palestine in international waters far from Gaza, “ said lawyer Greg Barns SC. 

“Children are still suffering food and medical shortages in circumstances of unconscionable deprivation. They have been forced to relocate so often that their tattered tents are now literally in the sea,” said Neve O’Connor. 

Juliet Lamont, whose daughters Luca and Isla are also part of the Flotilla, expressed solidarity with mothers in occupied territories facing war, scarcity and injury everywhere.

Juliet in Turkey

Dr Mohammed Mustafa repeated to a large Sydney audience on Thursday that he realised when operating without anaesthetics (surrounded by amputated limbs) that every rule of humanity has been broken by Israel. 

Photo files:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hgnpAVxJPVVI2Dczo0I35Z6-oTWVA81Z

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