Ten Malaysians were among those aboard 22 vessels that were intercepted and boarded by Israeli forces in international waters en route to Gaza, according to the Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC).
SNCC director-general Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby said they are:
Zainal Rashid Ahmad (Arkham III)
Osman Zolkifli (Eros 1)
Dr Jihan Alya Nordin (Eros 1)
Hazwan Hazim Dermawan (Bianca BCN)
Hanafi Salim (Bianca BCN)
Ahmad Musa Al-Nuwayri Kamaruzaman (Bianca BCN)
Norhelmi Ab Ghani (Bianca BCN)
Redzal Amzah (Freia)
Muhsin Zaidi (Marea)
Shamsir Isa (Esplai)
The vessels were under the Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 (GSF 2.0) mission, which combined maritime efforts and land mobilisation, including legal advocacy and solidarity campaigns, aimed at breaking the blockade on the Gaza Strip.
Sani Araby, who is also chief executive of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations, said the mission involved 63 vessels, but only 22 were intercepted and boarded, affecting 186 activists.
They have also lost contact with the vessels.
Apart from the six vessels with the Malaysians on board, the other vessels are Batolo, Bella Blue, Bribon, Eros, Ghea, Goletta, Holy Blue, Lapinya, Magic Boat, Malia, Mystere, Nagual, Romantica, Saf Saf, Snap, and Tam Tam.
Firing warning shots
Sani Araby said the incident occurred between 1am and 11am Malaysian time today, when the flotilla was aggressively approached by Israeli forces in 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 was speaking during an emergency press conference on the mission in Bangi, Selangor, today.
Sani Araby said the incident also involved provocation, with Israeli forces firing warning shots towards the vessels and jamming radio frequencies in a threatening manner against unarmed humanitarian activists.
The SNCC also confirmed the presence of dozens of unidentified drones operating around the flotilla during the incident, allegedly conducting surveillance and disrupting the vessels’ movements and communications.
“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 the remaining vessels, Sani Araby said the SNCC has instructed all ships that have not been intercepted to immediately enter Greek waters.
He said the latest developments have been communicated to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and several ministerial patrons, seeking government support, particularly in terms of security and diplomatic engagement with the governments of Greece and Turkiye.
Whereabouts unknown
On the status of the 10 Malaysians, last contacted at 8.30am Malaysian time, he said their 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.
Sani Araby also noted that the SNCC had anticipated Israeli interception of the GSF 2.0 mission due to perceived global support, including from Malaysia.
However, he said the interception tactics appeared to differ from an October 2025 incident, which allegedly occurred within a “red zone” 50 nautical miles from Gaza, suggesting, in his view, increased pressure on Israeli forces.
He also urged Malaysians to hold special prayers and recite Qunut Nazilah for the safety of all those detained.
- Bernama
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