GSF: Israeli forces intercept Gaza aid ship ‘Fair Lady,’ Malaysians on board
The vessel was carrying two Malaysians, Zainal Rashid Ahmad (ZRA) and Ustaz Muhammad Abdullah, also known as Ustaz Muhammad Kechik.
SHAH ALAM - The humanitarian mission vessel Fair Lady, part of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), was intercepted by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) in international waters near Gaza, as of 2pm Malaysian time.
The vessel was carrying two Malaysians, Zainal Rashid Ahmad (ZRA) and Ustaz Muhammad Abdullah, also known as Ustaz Muhammad Kechik, who were reportedly detained by Israeli forces around 9.15am Gaza time.
Zainal confirmed the interception during a live broadcast from the GSF’s closed-circuit television (CCTV) before reportedly throwing his mobile phone into the sea.
"We are already surrounded by four boats, one ship and three boats. This may be the last moment, ladies and gentlemen, you can see.
"I anticipate the approaching vessel is near, (there are) instructions to throw the phone.
“On the left side, there are two vessels and in front of us, one vessel. They are creating big waves," he said.
According to the tracking data from the Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC), the last recorded location of Fair Lady at 03:02 UTC (11.02am Malaysian time) showed the ship still sailing at coordinates 31°45.275′ N, 33°2.852′ E.
Previously, 223 out of 497 participants in the GSF mission, including 15 Malaysians, were reportedly among those detained on flotilla vessels by Israeli forces.
The Global Sumud Flotilla mission has been aimed at delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza while challenging the Israeli maritime blockade, drawing international attention and prompting legal and diplomatic efforts to safeguard those detained.
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