Former Shortland Street actor Will Alexander and Ava Mulla aboard the ‘Conscience’.
Photo: SUPPLIED
A fear of the unknown was front of mind for two New Zealanders aboard another humanitarian flotilla setting sail for the Gaza strip.
Christchurch actor-turned-activist Will Alexander and Ava Mulla have boarded 66-metre vessel ‘Conscience’, which had departed Italy for Gaza – one of 48 vessels bidding to provide aid to the Palestinian people.
The boat departed on Tuesday and carried more than 90 people, including journalists, medical workers and 10 crew members.
New Zealand had a long-standing ‘do not travel’ advisory in place for Gaza.
On board the ‘Conscience’.
Photo: SUPPLIED
Kiwi teenager Samuel Leason, along with two Palestinian-New Zealanders Rana Hamida and Youssef Sammour, were also part of the Global Sumud Flotilla intercepted by Israeli forces last Monday.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) said it told Israel “several times” it expected New Zealanders to be treated in a manner consistent with international law.
On Sunday, MFAT confirmed a consular partner had met with the New Zealanders detained in Israel.
Speaking to RNZ on their fifth day at sea, Alexander said they hoped to make it to Gaza to “break the illegal siege”, but expected the mission to be cut off.
“There is fear, but it pales in comparison to what the Palestinian people are going through,” he said. “It’s very unlikely that we will be killed, although the Israeli occupation forces have killed people on these flotillas before, like in 2010 on the Mavi Marmara.”
Passengers on the ‘Conscience’ pass the time’ as they hope to bring aid to Gaza.
Photo: SUPPLIED
Mulla agreed there was a sense of apprehension, but passengers were trying to stay level-headed.
“We started a meditation group on the ship,” she said. “We have a Buddhist monk with us.
“We’re trying to stay in the moment and take things as they come, rather than let our minds go wild.”
She said there was also a feeling of “pride”.
“Even if we are injured or killed in this mission, we will have been doing everything that we can for the Palestinian people and for human rights.
“It’s not about the people on board. We are, like one of our fellow travellers put it really well, the finger pointing to Gaza.”
Alexander, who played Dr Marc Peders in Shortland Street, engaged in a 19-day hunger strike last year to protest the war in Gaza.
He had heard reports of ill-treatment among detained activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla.
“We’ve heard that they’ve been made to kneel for five hours on the floor, with their hands tied behind their backs.
“If we’re intercepted by the Israelis, then that’s what’s likely to happen, but we’re hoping to make it to Gaza and be able to help the people there as much as possible.”
The pair said they were ignoring warnings not to travel to Gaza, because of a “weak response” by the New Zealand government.
“The reason that they have put a ‘don’t travel to Gaza’ advisory is because Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza,” Alexander said. “The response to a genocide is not to not go to that place.
“The response to a genocide is to end the genocide. Christopher Luxon telling us not to go there is weak – it’s cowardly.”
Luxon told Morning Report , after the announcement, New Zealanders could be “proud” of the government’s decision not to recognise Palestinian statehood.
Luxon – who opted to go to the All Blacks match against Australia a week ago, instead of the United Nations – said many Kiwis would have strong views on the situation, but the government’s decision was consistent with its independent foreign policy.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said supporting a Palestinian state was a case of “when, not if”.
Photo: MARIKA KHABAZI / RNZ
He said New Zealand was not pro-Palestine nor Israel, and was a friend to both, but the government could not recognise Palestinian statehood while terrorist group Hamas was in control in Gaza.
“It’s a matter of when, not if, but it’s just not now,” he said.
At the time, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said New Zealand had taken a moral stance in not recognising a Palestinian state during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly, arguing the timing was not right.
On Sunday morning NZT, Alexander shared a video to social media, explaining the boat was being “unnecessarily” circled by a military aircraft.
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