Dozen Canadians detained by Israeli forces after attempt to breach naval blockade near Gaza

A Barrie man was among those detained by the Israeli military after a flotilla with humanitarian aid was intercepted on its way to Gaza. Mike Le Couteur reports

All twelve Canadian activists who attempted to challenge the naval blockade of Gaza have been detained by Israeli forces, according to the activist group organizing the effort.

While government officials wouldn’t confirm the names of those in custody, in a news release Global Sumud Canada identified them as Michael France, Omar Shaban, Safa Chebbi, Sebastian Tow, Ko Tinmaung, Umir Tiar, Shahid Mahmood, Adam Joshua Norrad Bouzide, Olivier Huard, Ehab Lotayef, Mary Grace Mathisen and Daniela-Maria Bonamico.

The Global Sumud Flotilla group says most of the Canadian participants had previously agreed to stage a hunger strike if detained by Israeli forces.

“We have chosen the hunger strike as a form of political expression not to elicit sympathy for our own plight, but to remind the world that thousands of Palestinians have been enduring confinement, arbitrary detention and prison violence for decades in almost total silence,” read a statement from Safa Chebbi, the organization’s Canadian spokesperson.

Flotilla organizers say their goal was to deliver aid to the Palestinian people and break what they call an illegal siege on the territory.

The organization has led several trips of this kind. Greta Thunberg and several other prominent activists joined a convoy of ships that embarked last October, dozens of which were intercepted.

Israel has maintained a blockade over Gaza since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry posted video of what it said depicts flotilla activists being transferred onto Israel’s vessels. The ministry also said its searches of the vessels on Monday had turned up no humanitarian aide.

The Canadian government confirms consular officials in the region are monitoring the situation and standing ready to provide assistance to any Canadian citizen who requests it.

“Under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, arresting authorities are required to inform Canadian citizens of their right to contact a consular representative,” said Global Affairs Canada spokesperson Thida Ith in a statement to CTV News. “Consular assistance is available to all Canadian citizens in need.”

Global Affairs Canada says it continues to track developments related to the ongoing flotilla activities adding GAC, “and is aware that Israeli security forces continue to intercept attempts to breach the naval blockade”.

“We maintain Canada’s position that UN-co-ordinated humanitarian assistance into and throughout Gaza must be immediately scaled up to address the catastrophic humanitarian situation,” said Ith.

The Canadians were part of a fleet of 50 vessels and 430 activists from 40 different countries, bound for Gaza which were intercepted by Israeli forces. The Global Sumud Flotilla said their mission is to deliver humanitarian aid to the war-torn zone.

In interview via video conference with CTV News on Monday before being detained, Huard had been hopeful the vessel he was on could traverse the Mediterranean Sea and get to the Gazan shoreline.

“We can change course, we can have different strategy. We’re not as fast as the military, but we’re also really agile,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a really long night, because if we’re not intercepted before sunset, we have to stay really aware all night long.”

The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that the remaining boats in the flotilla have been intercepted as they attempted to challenge the naval blockade.

Italian Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani called for an urgent review of Israel’s use of force after Italian activists on the flotilla claimed soldiers fired rubber bullets at the vessels.

With files from CTV News’ Luca Caruso-Moro