Ten Malaysians missing after Israeli forces board Gaza aid flotilla, says Sumud Nusantara Command Center

Ten Malaysians missing after Israeli forces board Gaza aid flotilla, says Sumud Nusantara Command Center



Sumud Nusantara Command Center director-general Datuk Dr Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby speaks at a press conference on the latest developments of the Global Sumud Flotilla 2026 Mission after Israeli forces boarded the ships on April 30, 2026. — Bernama pic

Thursday, 30 Apr 2026 3:06 PM MYT


BANGI, April 30 — The Sumud Nusantara Command Center (SNCC) has confirmed that 22 vessels under the Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 (GSF2.0) mission were intercepted and boarded by Israeli forces in international waters en route to Gaza, including six with 10 Malaysians on board.

SNCC director-general Datuk Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby said they are Zainal Rashid Ahmad on board Arkham III; Osman Zolkifli and Dr Jihan Alya Mohd Nordin (Eros 1); Hazwan Hazim Dermawan, Mohd Hanafi Mohd Salim, Ahmad Musa Al-Nuwayri Kamaruzaman and Norhelmi Ab Ghani (Bianca BCN).

Also Mohd Redzal Amzah and Muhamad Muhsin Zaidi, who were on board Freia and Marea respectively, as well as Mohd Shamsir Mohd Isa (Esplai).

Sani Araby, who is also chief executive of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations, said the GSF2.0 mission involved 63 vessels in total, but only 22 were intercepted, lost contact and directly boarded, affecting a total of 186 activists.

Apart from the six vessels with the Malaysians on board, other vessels are Saf Saf, Bella Blue, Romantica, Goleta, Mystere, Magic Boat, Ghea, Snap, Eros, Tam Tam, Nagual, Lapinya, Batolo, Bribon, Malia and Holy Blue.

Sani Araby said the incident occurred between 1 am and 11 am 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 told an emergency press conference on the mission here today.


He said that 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 Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and several ministerial patrons, seeking government support, particularly in terms of security and diplomatic engagement with the governments of Greece and Turkiye.

On the status of the 10 Malaysians involved, last contacted at 8.30 am 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.

Sani Araby also urged Malaysians to hold special prayers and recite Qunut Nazilah for the safety of all detained mission delegates.

The GSF 2.0 mission comprises an international coalition combining maritime efforts with global mobilisation on land, including legal advocacy and solidarity campaigns across multiple countries, aimed at breaking the blockade on the Gaza Strip amid a worsening humanitarian crisis. — Bernama