Friends of Kyle Kaptain held a rally in Downtown Durham on Thursday night, showing support for the Bull City native taken into Israeli custody after his flotilla carrying aid into Gaza was boarded in the Mediterranean sea on Wednesday. 

“I’m worried for my friends,” said Esther Mac, a friend of Kyle Kaptain. “I also know that what they would say, this is nothing to what Palestinians are experiencing and have been for over 70 years now.”

The Israeli military intercepted a nine-boat flotilla trying to break
Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza early Wednesday in the Mediterranean
Sea and detained scores of activists on board, the flotilla organizers
and the Israeli Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry said the 145 activists, including Kaptain, taking part in the Freedom
Flotilla Coalition & Thousand Madleens to Gaza, were in good health
and were being brought to shore in Israel for processing before they are
deported.

The activists on board the nine-vessel group included doctors, at least one member of the European parliament and several national lawmakers from Turkey, Denmark, France and Belgium.

Friends of Kaptain tell WRAL one of the last messages they received from him said, “you take to the streets, and we will take to the sea.”

That’s one of the reasons they continue to speak out not only calling for Kaptain’s release, but also an end to the conflict in Gaza. Attendees tell WRAL they are hopeful that both sides follow through with the most recent proposed peace deal, before any more blood is shed. 

“Free our friends and to let aid into Gaza. Which there is some headway on, but we really need to make sure that what they promise is going to happen,” Mac said. 

WRAL has reached out to members of the Israeli government asking about Kaptain’s condition and when he is expected to be released. We are waiting on a response. 

In the meantime, friends of Kaptain at the rally want him to know people in his hometown are standing behind him.

“We love you and we are thinking about you constantly and doing everything we can to get you back here,” said a friend of Kaptain.