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Rabat — The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested five Moroccans yesterday as part of its interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla bound to Gaza.
The Israeli naval forces arrested hundreds of international activists following the interception operation that seized several vessels in the flotilla.
Israel’s operation, deemed “illegal” by the detained activists, took place in international waters and led to the arrest of over 200 people from 37 countries.
In a video, Aziz Ghali, a Moroccan participant arrested by the IOF, said that Israeli naval forces “kidnapped [him] in the international waters,” describing the act as “against international laws.”
Meanwhile, Ayoub Habraoui noted that “if you see this video, then know that the Zionist forces have arrested me,” asking the Moroccan government and people to put pressure on Israel to release them.
Both Ghali and Habraoui were on board the Deir Yassin ship.
Abdelaadim Ben Draoui also recorded a pre-arrest video in which he affirmed that he was detained by “the Zionist entity,” calling on the Moroccan government to intervene to set him free.
Alongside Ben Draoui, the Al Jazeera correspondent Younes Ait Yassine was also arrested on the Alma ship, with converging reports about a third Moroccan activist on the same boat.
As Israel’s courts and prisons are inoperative because of the Yom Kippur holiday, the detained activists remain in an unclear legal situation.
Complying with its criminal practices, Israeli naval forces forcibly boarded and seized control of several ships belonging to the Global Sumud Flotilla on Wednesday.
The Global Sumud Flotilla said in a statement that “after Israeli occupation naval forces illegally intercepted vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla, hundreds of participants have been abducted and reportedly taken aboard the large naval vessel, the MSC Johannesburg.”
The flotilla, which is a peaceful, non-violent convoy carrying food, baby formula, medicine, and volunteers from 47 countries to Gaza, has drawn international attention as one of the largest maritime solidarity efforts in recent memory.
The raid has drawn international condemnation, with some diplomats describing it as a “terrorist act,” while others see it as “genocide by other means.”
