Global Sumud Flotilla boats were intercepted by Israel Defence Force personnel. Photo / Global Sumud Flotilla
By RNZ
The wife of one of the New Zealanders in the flotilla intercepted by Israel in international waters says he has a concussion and possible broken rib.
Jay O’Connor, Mousa Taher, Julien Blondel and Sean Janssen were among almost 180 people who had disembarked on the Greek island of Crete.
Flotilla organisers said they were illegally abducted after Israel boarded, disabled and destroyed boats in the flotilla headed for Gaza.
Israel’s foreign ministry had called organisers “professional provocateurs” and said it would not allow “the breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza”.
Greece said 31 people of the 176 people who disembarked at a port in Crete were transferred for first aid.
O’Connor’s wife, Chrissy O’Connor, had not yet been able to speak with him.
“I’ve received some messages from him and he sent through a recorded voice message, so I’ve heard his voice and I’ve seen a photo,” she said.
“So that’s a huge relief ... so I know some things but still waiting to be able to speak with him properly,” O’Connor added.
“It’s better than not knowing, at least I know he’s off the boat, he’s safe even if he’s a bit roughed up.”
O’Connor said she did not know for sure how her husband was but that he had a concussion and potentially a broken rib.
“That’s just from the brief message I had from him, I don’t know what the outcome of medical assessment was at the moment.”
Jay O’Connor had not yet shared details of how he was injured, his wife said.
Two other New Zealanders, Samuel Leason and Hāhona Ormsby, evaded capture.
Ormsby, of Ngāti Maniapoto, told RNZ’s Māpuna programme the operation happened very quickly.
“It pretty much happened in a blink of eye,” he said.
“They came in the dark, all of a sudden we heard brief mayday calls go out and then they blocked all our radio communication, our Starlink, so there was no communication between the boats, we could only just see what was going on and then the battleships just rolling in between us,” Ormsby said.
“I know on our boat, we had a big boat come past, a big ship, battleship come past about 150 metres off our port side, shine a big light on us and then as they shined their lights on other boats that’s when we were able to slip through.”
Ormsby said “a lot” of flotilla activists had been injured in the interception.
He said 30 boats in the flotilla managed to get away and went in different directions.
“It was quite an ordeal,” he said.
“I think there was four big battleships, IDF [Israeli Defence Force personnel] on RIBs coming up to our boats and a lot of drones and drone activity around us.”
Ormsby told RNZ’s Māpuna the intention of those who got away was to keep sailing for Gaza.
“We will leave Crete, make our way to Turkey to pick up some comrades and more boats, and then from there sail on to Gaza.”
Reuters reported two activists, identified as Saif Abu Keshek – a Spanish national of Palestinian origin – and Brazilian Thiago Avila had been detained.
The Governments of Spain and Brazil issued a joint statement calling Israel’s action blatantly illegal and outside its jurisdiction, Reuters said.
Israel said Abu Keshek was suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organisation and Avila of illegal activity, and both would be taken to Israel for questioning.
Chrissy O’Connor said the flotilla was an international humanitarian organisation with citizens from across the world, including her husband.
“He’s a trained paramedic and an engineer ... I think he has wanted to be able to use his skills in a practical way to do something,” she said.
The New Zealand delegation of Global Sumud Flotilla said Hāhona Ormsby and Samuel Leason were not among those taken to Greece.
New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT) said it was aware of allegations made about treatment while in custody.
It said it did not yet have full details and officials were seeking more information.
“Consular officials in Wellington, New Zealand’s Embassies in Rome and Ankara, and New Zealand’s Honorary Consul in Greece have been working throughout the night and over the past few days to gather information, provide advice to families, and support New Zealanders involved,” it said.
“Immediately following the interception of the flotillas on Thursday, the New Zealand Government made it clear to Israel that the safety of New Zealanders involved was paramount and that international law must be upheld,” MFAT added.
“These and other views were made clear to Israel’s Ambassador to New Zealand and by New Zealand’s Ambassador to Israel, stationed in Ankara.”
MFAT said New Zealand had a long-standing “do not travel” advisory in place for Gaza, explicitly warning against any attempt to enter by sea.
– RNZ