GSF: Heliza, Hazwani’s father expected risk of detention, hopes for swift action to release them

KUALA LUMPUR - The father of singers Heliza and Hazwani, who were detained by Israeli forces during the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) humanitarian mission to Gaza this morning, said he had anticipated such an incident once his daughters decided to join the mission.

Helmi Hasbi said he was aware of the risks involved in the mission from the very beginning and the family had prepared themselves for any possibility.

"I had expected (that my children would be detained), (but) hoped it would not happen,” he told Bernama when met here today.

He said their last contact was last night via a WhatsApp call, during which Heliza, whose real name is Nur Heliza and Hazwani (Nur Hazwani Afiqah) had asked for prayers and blessings before their vessel approached the danger zone.

"They always contacted us, updating us on what was happening as they did not want us to worry. After passing the yellow zone, they asked us to prepare ourselves for any eventuality,” he said.

"They reminded us to pray for their journey to be eased and asked us to forgive them. Their spirit was very strong and as parents, we could only strengthen their resolve with prayers and encouragement,” he said.

The father of singers Heliza and Hazwani, who were detained by Israeli forces during the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) humanitarian mission to Gaza this morning, said he had anticipated such an incident once his daughters decided to join the mission. Photo: Instagram/nurhelizahelmi

Helmi said he accepted the situation with an open heart, noting that the humanitarian struggle for Gaza required sacrifice and courage from volunteers.

"If not my children, then who else? They (Heliza and Hazwani) cannot bear to see others suffer. Besides, they are doing this for Allah, so let them continue,” he said.

At the same time, he said his wife, Latifah Mohamad, who shares a close bond with both daughters, remained emotional over their detention but was strengthened by the support from the family.

Helmi also urged the government to act swiftly and more aggressively to ensure the safety of all detained Malaysian activists.

"The volunteers carry the spirit of the people and the government in this struggle. If action is taken immediately, the world will see the effort. For now, only Allah sees, so we really hope the government can help as best as possible,” he said emotionally.

As of this evening, the Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC) confirmed that 15 Malaysians had been detained after their vessels entered the R3 red zone, about 100 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza, while another five had lost contact with SNCC. - BERNAMA