BANGI: The Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC) has confirmed that six of 22 vessels intercepted and boarded by Israeli forces in international waters en route to Gaza were also carrying 10 Malaysians.
SNCC director-general Datuk Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby said on Thursday (April 30) that they were Zainal Rashid Ahmad on board Arkham III; Osman Zolkifli and Dr Jihan Alya Mohd Nordin (Eros 1); Hazwan Hazim Dermawan, Mohd Hanafi Mohd Salim, Ahmad Musa Al-Nuwayri Kamaruzaman and Norhelmi Ab Ghani (Bianca BCN).
Also on board were Mohd Redzal Amzah and Muhamad Muhsin Zaidi, on Freia and Marea respectively, as well as Mohd Shamsir Mohd Isa (Esplai).
Sani Araby said the incident occurred between 1am and 11am Malaysian time on Thursday, when the flotilla was aggressively approached by Israeli forces in international waters off the Great Greek Islands.
"The flotilla’s position during the intimidation was approximately 656 nautical miles from the Gaza Strip coastline, within a legitimate international shipping zone fully protected under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” he told an emergency press conference on the mission here on Thursday.
He said that the incident also involved provocation, with Israeli forces firing warning shots towards the vessels and jamming radio frequencies in a threatening manner against unarmed humanitarian activists.
The SNCC also confirmed the presence of dozens of unidentified drones operating around the flotilla during the incident, allegedly conducting surveillance and disrupting the vessels’ movements and communications.
"Audio and visual recordings obtained by the SNCC show Israeli forces using a false narrative to justify the warning shots,” he said.
To ensure the safety of the remaining vessels, Sani Araby said the SNCC has instructed all ships that have not been intercepted to enter Greek waters immediately.
He said the latest developments have been communicated to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and several ministerial patrons, seeking government support, particularly for security and diplomatic engagement with the governments of Greece and Turkiye.
On the status of the 10 Malaysians involved, last contacted at 8.30am Malaysian time, he said their whereabouts remain unknown.
"SNCC will provide updates as to whether they have been detained aboard vessels and ordered to turn back, or allegedly taken to an unknown location. We hope to receive further information soon,” he said.
Sani Araby also noted that the SNCC had anticipated Israeli interception of the GSF 2.0 mission, given perceived global support, including from Malaysia.
However, he said the interception tactics appeared to differ from an October 2025 incident, which allegedly occurred within a "red zone" 50 nautical miles from Gaza, suggesting, in his view, increased pressure on Israeli forces.
Sani Araby also urged Malaysians to hold special prayers and recite Qunut Nazilah for the safety of all detained mission delegates.
The GSF 2.0 mission comprises an international coalition combining maritime efforts with global mobilisation on land, including legal advocacy and solidarity campaigns across multiple countries, aimed at breaking the blockade on the Gaza Strip amid a worsening humanitarian crisis. – Bernama
