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THE Sumud Nusantara Command Centre has confirmed that 22 vessels participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 humanitarian mission were intercepted and boarded by Israeli forces while sailing in international waters en route to Gaza, with six of the vessels carrying Malaysian nationals.
Its director-general, Datuk Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby, who is also chief executive of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations, said the mission involved a total of 63 vessels, of which 22 lost contact and were boarded, affecting 186 activists in total.
He said the Malaysian participants were spread across several vessels, including Zainal Rashid Ahmad aboard Arkham III; Osman Zolkifli and Dr Jihan Alya Mohd Nordin aboard Eros 1; Hazwan Hazim Dermawan, Mohd Hanafi Mohd Salim, Ahmad Musa Al-Nuwayri Kamaruzaman and Norhelmi Ab Ghani aboard Bianca BCN.
Others include Mohd Redzal Amzah on Freia, Muhamad Muhsin Zaidi on Marea, and Mohd Shamsir Mohd Isa on Esplai.
According to Sani Araby, other vessels affected included Saf Saf, Bella Blue, Romantica, Goleta, Mystere, Magic Boat, Ghea, Snap, Eros, Tam Tam, Nagual, Lapinya, Batolo, Bribon, Malia and Holy Blue.
Speaking at an emergency press conference, he said the incident occurred between 1am and 11am Malaysian time when the flotilla was approached by Israeli forces in what he described as 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 said.
He alleged that Israeli forces engaged in provocative actions, including firing warning shots towards vessels and jamming radio frequencies, while unarmed humanitarian activists were aboard.
The centre also claimed that multiple unidentified drones were deployed around the flotilla during the incident, allegedly conducting surveillance and disrupting communications and vessel movements.
“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 remaining vessels, the centre instructed all ships not yet intercepted to immediately enter Greek waters.
Sani Araby said developments had been communicated to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and several ministerial patrons, with requests for diplomatic and security engagement involving Greece and Turkiye.
He added that contact with the 10 Malaysians involved was last established at 8.30am Malaysian time, and their current 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.
He also said the organisation had anticipated interception due to what it described as growing international attention and support for the mission, including from Malaysia, but suggested the scale and location of the intervention differed from a previous October 2025 incident.
Sani Araby urged Malaysians to perform special prayers and recite Qunut Nazilah for the safety of all participants.
The Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 is described as an international coalition combining maritime convoy efforts with land-based advocacy, legal campaigns and global solidarity initiatives aimed at challenging the blockade on Gaza amid a worsening humanitarian situation. - April 30, 2026