Israel stated it will not “enable any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza”.
Dr Margaret Connolly recorded a video whereas on the flotilla (Picture: Dr Margaret Connolly/ International Sumud Flotilla)
Dr Margaret Connolly, the sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly, is amongst at the very least six Irish residents aboard an support flotilla which have been detained by Israel, organisers say. The International Sumud Flotilla stated that 10 boats in a 60-vessel flotilla had been intercepted in worldwide waters and boarded by Israeli forces shortly after 9am on Monday. Organisers stated the interception occurred roughly 70 nautical miles off Cyprus, with at the very least six of 15 Irish contributors amongst these detained.
The International Sumud Flotilla stated it has misplaced contact with the intercepted boats. The flotilla has posted movies from Dr Connolly and 5 others, which seem to have been recorded upfront of their detention. In her video, Dr Connolly stated: “If you’re watching this video, it means I’ve been kidnapped from my boat within the flotilla by the Israeli occupying forces, and I’m now being held illegally in an Israeli jail. I’m so proud to be participating on this flotilla – it’s the largest to this point.
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“Hundreds of individuals all around the world – residents such as you and me – have volunteered their providers to assist with this flotilla. That is the biggest one to this point, and now we sail for Gaza to open a humanitarian pathway to deliver a lot wanted support and medical provide to the folks of Gaza.”
She added: “I really feel totally compelled – as a mom, a health care provider, and as a human being – to assist on this flotilla. I ask you all to help the decision to right away free my comrades in jail.
“I want to attraction to the Irish authorities to enact the Occupied Territories Invoice with out fail. The reason for Palestine is the ethical compass of our time, it’s what makes us human. Their humanity is our humanity.”
Karen Moynihan, Irish lead for the International Sumud Flotilla, instructed the Press Affiliation that six Irish residents had been “kidnapped”.
She added: “At present, over the previous seven months, 33 Irish residents have been kidnapped by Israel, and our Authorities is contemplating whether or not they’re even going to sanction Israel – it’s completely horrific, and the Authorities must be known as out totally on its complicity in genocide, and there’s no different solution to put it.”
In an announcement, a spokesperson for the flotilla stated: “This assault on the flotilla has no authorized foundation and all the contributors from Eire and world wide on this flotilla are performing inside the legislation to ship support to the Palestinian folks in Gaza who’ve been failed by all states and worldwide establishments.
Dr Margaret Connolly joined the flotilla (Picture: Dr Margaret Connolly)
“We at the moment are extraordinarily involved for the protection and welfare of all 15 Irish contributors and the lots of of different contributors who’re on the flotilla.”
Seven different Irish residents had been intercepted and detained by Israel in related circumstances final month.
The Division of Overseas Affairs stated officers “are actively monitoring the state of affairs relating to the International Sumud Flotilla” and are participating with the related authorities. It added: “The Division will present consular help to impacted Irish residents.”
The Israeli Overseas Ministry, on X, described the flotilla as a “provocation” and a seek for “publicity”, because it claimed there was no support on board.
“The aim of this provocation is to serve Hamas, to divert consideration from Hamas’s refusal to disarm, and to hinder progress on President Trump’s peace plan,” it stated.
It added: “The Gaza Strip is flooded with support. Since October 2025 alone, greater than 1.58 million tons of humanitarian support and 1000’s of tons of medical provides have entered Gaza.
“Israel won’t enable any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza. Israel calls on all contributors on this provocation to vary course and switch again instantly.”
Amnesty Worldwide Eire stated the flotilla was an indictment of Eire and the worldwide neighborhood’s “abject failure to finish Israel’s ongoing atrocity crimes in opposition to Palestinians, together with genocide, apartheid, and illegal occupation”.
In an announcement, its government director, Stephen Bowen, stated Europe ought to finish its Affiliation Settlement with Israel and, within the absence of such a measure, known as on the Irish Authorities to behave unilaterally.
He stated: “Once we don’t even use the instruments we do have at our disposal, phrases change into the empty rhetoric of appeasement.”
Sinn Fein chief Mary Lou McDonald described Monday’s actions as “one more brazen violation of worldwide legislation” as she known as on the Authorities to safe the speedy launch of the activists.
“The impunity afforded to Israel by the worldwide neighborhood should finish. Eire should take the lead in confronting it.”
Folks Earlier than Revenue chief Richard Boyd Barrett additionally known as on the Authorities to demand the discharge of the Irish residents and urged folks to participate in a protest outdoors the Dail on Wednesday, as TDs debate sanctions on Israel.
Israel beforehand rejected the accusations, introduced by South Africa to the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice (ICJ) in 2024, that its actions in Gaza quantity to genocide.
After the October 7 terror assault carried out on Israel by Hamas in 2022, a warfare erupted in Gaza.
A ceasefire brokered by the US got here into drive in October final yr.
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