Activists demand release of flotilla volunteers

PICKETS against the ongoing crisis in Palestine are a familiar sight, but yesterday, gatherings across South Africa focused on the detention of humanitarian volunteers captured by Israeli forces while en route to aid Gaza.

- MANDILAKHE TSHWETE [e-mail]

The activists set sail in August as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, carrying food, medical supplies, and aid to civilians in the war-torn region.

On Wednesday evening, the flotilla was intercepted by the Israel Defence Force (IDF), and crew members were taken into custody.

South Africans among those detained include Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela, Zukiswa Wanner, Reaaz Moolla, Zaheera Soomar, and Fatima Hendricks.

The Global Sumud Flotilla organisation announced that its last remaining vessel, the Marinette, was intercepted at 10.29am local time on Friday, approximately 42.5 nautical miles from Gaza.

A statement from the group said: "Over 38 hours, Israeli occupation naval forces illegally intercepted all 42 of our vessels, each carrying humanitarian aid, volunteers, and the determination to break Israel's illegal siege on Gaza.

"Marinette sailed forward with the spirit of Sumud, steadfastness, even after seeing the fate of 41 boats before her. But this is not the end of our mission. Our determination to confront Israel's atrocities and stand with the Palestinian people remains unshaken."

In Cape Town, pro-Palestine activists gathered outside Parliament, waving flags and holding placards calling for the release of the detained crew members. The rolling mass actions, which began on Thursday, were set to continue indefinitely.

Professor Yusuf Chikte, coordinator of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, framed the demonstration as part of a sustained international resistance to what he described as "the continuation of genocide" in Gaza.

"We are here because of the conditions of the humanitarian activists on the Global Sumud Flotilla, who were intercepted illegally in international waters by the Israeli regime. The guns were pointed at them.