Dr Margaret Connolly, sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly, was among at least six of 15 Irish participants in the Global Sumud Flotilla detained by Israel after vessels were intercepted while sailing toward Gaza, according to the flotilla organizers. The group said the ships were part of an effort to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian assistance.
The organizers released pre-recorded video messages from Connolly and five other participants, saying the messages were published after their detention. In her video, Connolly said that if the public was watching the recording, it meant she had been taken from a flotilla boat by Israeli forces and was being held in Israeli custody. She also said she was proud to take part in what she described as the largest flotilla so far.
The incident is part of a wider Israeli operation involving the interception and seizure of flotilla boats in the Mediterranean Sea. Reports state that doctors, students and other activists were among those detained after Israeli forces entered vessels carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza.
At the time of the reports, there was no independent confirmation of all the organizers’ claims regarding the number of detained participants, and no detailed Israeli statement had been issued about their status. The case has drawn attention because of Connolly’s family connection to the Irish president, but the central issue remains the interception of the humanitarian flotilla and the detention of activists attempting to reach Gaza.
