Noureldein GhanemWashington, DC — Five US veterans, part of the Global Sumud Flotilla attempting to break Israel's Gaza siege, are believed to have been abducted by Israeli troops and taken to Ashdod port.
Rebecca Roberts, coordinator of the Ohwayla vessel, told TRT World that she could not confirm the fate of the veterans immediately, but believes they have been seized by Israeli forces after contact was lost with them.
"We believe they were detained along with the around 500 activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla and transferred to the Ashdod port," said Roberts, an Army veteran, and the member and organising manager of About Face: Veterans Against the War.
About Face: Veterans Against the War is a veterans' advocacy group formed in 2004, opposing the US invasion and occupation of Iraq from 2003-2011. Membership includes post-9/11 veterans.
"After Israeli authorities initially denied access and began hearings without prior consultation, Adalah's legal team has now entered the port and will carry out consultations," she said.
Adalah is a human rights organisation and legal centre based in Israel.
Adalah's legal team informed TRT World that there are currently no updates regarding the US veterans' situation.
"We don't have any updates yet, our lawyers are still inside the Ashdod port (have been for the last 8 hours or so) providing consultations," Adalah's team said.
Among the US military veterans are Susan "Zue" Jernstedt, Greg Stoker, Zuleyka "Mo" Rivera, Phil Tottenham and Jessica Clotfelter.
Roberts stated they were aboard the Ohwayla, the flotilla's lead vessel.
In an Instagram video, prior to his abduction, Stoker reported that a dozen Israeli naval vessels, with transponders off, approached his vessel early on Thursday.
"They are currently hailing our vessels, telling us to turn off our engines and await further instructions or our boats will be seized and we will face the consequences," he says in the video.
Last contact
Roberts said that contact with the veterans occurred about 40 minutes before their GPS tracker's last update.
"Our last direct contact with the participants was at 00:14 UTC. Their GPS tracker had last updated at 00:57 UTC, and the cameras on their boat, the Ohwayla, went out at 01:04 UTC," she said.
"At the time the cameras went out, they had been evading the IOF barge and were the lead boat of the flotilla, less than 40 miles out from the shores of Gaza."
She said that by the time cameras were cutting out, Israeli Naval Forces had started to attack the boats and abduct the activists.
"As the cameras were cutting out, they were being spotlit by an IOF vessel, and were in position with their hands up, prepared to be intercepted," she said.
The Global Sumud Flotilla has reported that Israeli forces attacked and seized 28 ships carrying crucial food aid for besieged Palestinians.
Over 450 activists from 47 countries were seized after being forcibly taken from vessels.
The activists on the vessels were forcibly taken from their ships by the Israeli forces, Global Sumud Flotilla said, describing their detention as "unlawful abduction."
So far, only one vessel, Mikeno, has been reported to have reached Gaza.
Marinette, as the last remaining boat of the Global Sumud Flotilla, continues to sail towards Gaza.
'Interconnected struggles'
Roberts cited one of the veterans, likely in Israeli jail, Zue Jernstedt, regarding their motivation for joining this humanitarian mission.
"To quote a participant who is currently assumed to be detained, Zue Jernstedt said that she joined to show that people can change — it's never too late to stand up for humanity," Roberts said.
She said that, as veterans, they perceive their struggles as interconnected, stemming from a shared system of global oppression.
"We as veterans have misguidedly signed up to risk our lives before, but on behalf of enabling oppression and exploitation," she said.
"Having seen the reality of the devastating impact of militarism, the US veterans joined the Global Sumud Flotilla to establish a humanitarian corridor to ease the suffering of their fellow humans in Palestine."
She added that the Israeli blockade and starvation faced by Palestinians are facilitated by the financial and military support from the US government, funded by US taxpayers.
"So we see it as our real duty to stand with Palestine, to stand with humanity," she said.
