PETALING JAYA: A humanitarian mission turned into an international crisis when hundreds of volunteers on a noble mission to deliver aid to Palestinians were detained by Israeli forces in international waters.
The 44 vessels carrying volunteers from 45 countries were intercepted about 80 nautical miles from Gaza and subjected to water cannon sprays.
Onboard were 23 Malaysians among the 497 volunteers who were part of the global civilian humanitarian mission – the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF).
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said on X that the detained volunteers would be deported to Europe.
A team of lawyers from 45 countries are on standby to assist the GSF volunteers.
Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC) director-general Datuk Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby said matters related to the Malaysian delegates would be handled by Centre for Human Rights Research and Advocacy (Centhra) chief executive officer Azril Mohd Amin.
“Malaysia’s legal team will be led by Azril, who is in Amman, Jordan, to coordinate legal matters related to the Malaysians.
“The GSF will cooperate and appoint The Legal Centre for Arab Minority Rights in Israel (Adalah) as its official representative, especially for the Malaysian delegates, when facing interrogation and detention,” he said in a statement yesterday.
The intercepted vessels carrying Malaysian volunteers were the Sirius, Alma, Huga, Grande Blu, Hio, Free Willy, Mikeno, Estrella, Inana and Fair Lady.
The Malaysians detained included singer Zizi Kirana, whose real name is Nur Fazelah Mad Tahil; singers and sisters Nur Heliza Helmi and Nur Hazwani Afiqah Helmi; actress Nurul Hidayah Mohd Amin, also known as Ardell Aryana; activist Norfarahin Romli (Farah Lee); Muhammad Haikal Abdullah; Muhammad Muaz Zainal Abiddin; Mohammad Zulfadhli Khiruddin; Mohd Rusydi Ramli; Ahmad Musa Alnuwayri Kamaruzaman; Ilylia Balqis Suhaimi; Sul Aidil Sudi; Danish Nazran Murad; Rahmat Ikhsan Mohd Sofyan (PU Rahmat); Norhelmi AbGhani; Mohd Asmawi Mukhtar; Norazman Ishak; Muhammad Abdullah; Razali Awang; and Zainal Rashid Ahmad.
The Israeli government said none of the boats had succeeded in attempts to enter an active combat zone or breach the naval blockade.
Before being detained, SOS videos of the volunteers were released, appealing to the Malaysian government and the Prime Minister to demand their immediate and unconditional release.
“I am a citizen of Malaysia. If you are watching this video it means I have been abducted and taken against my will by Israeli forces,” they each said in a SOS video released on social media after the interception of each vessel.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has demanded for the immediate release of the volunteers.
He said the government would do its utmost to secure the release of the Malaysians.
He said Malaysia would take all lawful measures to hold Israel accountable as her citizens were involved in the matter.
