Update: Madleen crew ‘held at Ashdod’ en route to Israeli detention facility

The Gaza Freedom Flotilla (GFF), whose humanitarian vessel the Madleen was rammed and boarded in the early hours of this morning by Israeli forces as it tried to carry aid to desperate Palestinians starved by Israel’s genocidal siege of Gaza, has issued an update on the location and wellbeing of its abducted volunteers.

Earlier today, GFF put out a concerned statement pointing out that since their abduction nothing had been seen or heard of the crew:

It’s been 15 hours since we last saw or heard from our friends and comrades. We have not been allowed any contact. Of course, Israeli media alledge that no volunteers have been harmed. But the psychological impact of being forcibly abducted by a military force that is conducting a genocide in Gaza and other war crimes across the world, as well as being cut off from friends, family, and FFC colleagues, is illegal, beyond distressing and an attack on solidarity.

We see everyone fighting for our team – thank you for stepping up and mobilizing. But we are aware that because of our volunteers’ varying passports of privilege, most of them will likely not be subjected to the horrendous torture we know Palestinians face every day – some of which have been imprisoned unlawfully for decades.

This is why must also keep the pressure up on states to stop Israel’s genocide and siege of Gaza, creating the need for a Flotilla in the first place. This is why we are here, right now in this moment – for Gaza. For Palestine.

But tonight, GFF has issued an update indicating that the victims of Israel’s piracy in international waters are being held at Ashdod port en route to Israel’s notorious Ramleh detention facility, where they will be held unless they agree to immediate deportation. The camp has been described as a site for ‘psychological and physical extermination’ of Palestinian civilians taken hostage by Israel.

GFF’s media office said:

We have just received confirmation that all 11 volunteers and one Al Jazeera reporter from the ‘Madleen’ are currently at Ashdod Port. They are being processed and transferred to detention. They are expected to be moved to the Ramleh detention facility unless they agree to leave immediately, in which case they may be permitted to fly out of Tel Aviv as early as tonight. We continue to demand the immediate release of all volunteers and the return of the stolen aid. Their kidnapping is unlawful and a violation of international law.

Supporters must continue to lobby their governments to act and not just mouth useless weasel words as the UK government of Keir Starmer has done so far despite the Madleen’s status as a UK-flagged ship that Israel has no right to touch, let alone attack, board and seize.

Please remember to support Skwawkbox if you can, to help ensure it can keep running. The site is provided free of charge but depends on the support of its readers to be viable. If you’d like to help it keep revealing the news as it is and not what the Establishment wants you to hear – and can afford to without hardship – please click here to arrange a one-off or modest monthly donation via PayPal or here to set up a monthly donation via GoCardless (Skwawkbox will contact you to confirm the GoCardless amount as it has to be entered by us). Alternatively, if you prefer to make a one-off or recurring donation by simple card payment, please use the form below:

Thanks for your solidarity so Skwawkbox can keep doing its job of inconveniencing the right and helping to build the left!

If you wish to republish this post for non-commercial use, you are welcome to do so, but please include the donor information above – see here for more.