{"id":457852,"date":"2026-05-20T05:20:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T05:20:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/457852\/"},"modified":"2026-05-20T05:20:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T05:20:09","slug":"israel-detains-more-irish-citizens-on-gaza-flotilla-bringing-total-to-13-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/457852\/","title":{"rendered":"Israel detains more Irish citizens on Gaza flotilla, bringing total to 13 \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

The number of Irish citizens on board a Gaza<\/a> aid flotilla who have been detained by Israel<\/a> has increased to 13.<\/p>\n

President Catherine Connolly<\/a>\u2019s sister, Dr Margaret Connolly, a GP from Co Sligo<\/a>, is one of those detained.<\/p>\n

According to the Instagram page<\/a> of the Irish delegation of the Global Sumud Flotilla, the other 12 Irish people detained are Mikey Cullen, Colm Byrne, Tara Sheehy, Fra Hughes, Luke McMenamin, Adam Fitzhenry Collier, Helena Kearns, Tom Deasy, Cormac O\u2019Daly, Joshua St Leger, Louise McCormack and Catriona Graham.<\/p>\n

The Global Sumud Flotilla was travelling to Gaza, bringing food and medical supplies, when vessels were intercepted by Israeli forces<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"AA boat bearing symbols of one of the vessels belonging to the Gaza-bound aid flotilla is motored towards the Israeli port of Ashdod on Tuesday after being intercepted by Israeli forces. Photograph: Jack Guez\/AFP via Getty <\/p>\n

Israeli forces opened fire on at least \u200btwo vessels in the flotilla, according to video footage and flotilla organisers, but Israel said no live ammunition was used and there were no casualties.<\/p>\n

Video from the flotilla\u2019s livestream showed soldiers firing shots at two \u200bof the boats. The type of ammunition fired was not clear.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt no point was live ammunition fired,\u201d the Israeli foreign ministry said \u2060in a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cFollowing multiple warnings, non-lethal means were employed toward the vessel \u2013 not toward protesters \u2013 \u200cas \u200ca \u200bwarning. No protesters were injured during this event,\u201d it added, only referring to action against one vessel.<\/p>\n

The Global Sumud Flotilla said on its website that \u206048 vessels had been intercepted, with some \u200b400 people detained and two boats still sailing in \u200bthe eastern Mediterranean.<\/p>\n

T\u00e1naiste Simon Harris<\/a> earlier said his thoughts are with the President after the \u201cillegal\u201d detention of Irish people.<\/p>\n

Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin<\/a> said it is \u201cwrong\u201d and \u201cunacceptable\u201d that Irish citizens have been detained by Israeli forces.<\/p>\n

The President said on Monday she was \u201cvery worried\u201d that her sister has been detained by Israeli forces after the interception of boats involved in the aid flotilla.<\/p>\n

Ships from the Global Sumud Flotilla had set sail for a third time last Thursday from southern Turkey, after earlier attempts \u2060to deliver aid to Gaza were intercepted by Israel in international waters.<\/p>\n

Harris said on Tuesday: \u201cI was very struck by the President\u2019s comments yesterday, because on a purely personal level, of course you\u2019d be worried, and my heart goes out to President Connolly and her family, and indeed all of the families of those detained.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat Israel has done is, in my view, illegal. It is, in my view, in breach of international law, quite frankly, not even in my view, it is in breach of international law.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked whether the Irish Government should engage with Israel on the detention of the President\u2019s sister, Harris said: \u201cWe\u2019re at this long enough to know that Israel doesn\u2019t really care very much for people\u2019s words, does it?\u201d<\/p>\n

He said members of Government, Opposition and others have criticised Israel\u2019s actions in Gaza but \u201cunfortunately Israel seems to ignore the condemnation of the international world\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why I think it\u2019s important that we look at the actions that can be taken,\u201d he said, referring to the Occupied Territories Bill and action at EU level.<\/p>\n

The Taoiseach said the behaviour of Israel in international waters against the aid flotilla is \u201cunacceptable\u201d and that people have a right to protest and take part in a mission to highlight the \u201cshocking\u201d humanitarian issue in Gaza.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the first instance, what happened is absolutely unacceptable and is wrong,\u201d Martin said in advance of Tuesday\u2019s Cabinet meeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have condemned that as we have before where Israel intervenes in international waters and detains and essentially abducts people from the ships, and that\u2019s unacceptable and the international rule of law has to apply.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, we will be raising this at European Union level in the context of other issues pertaining to Gaza and the West Bank in particular, and we hope to make progress at European Union level in relation to a number of issues in relation to Palestine, particularly in terms of sanctions on settlers, for example, who are to a large extent being facilitated by the Israeli government.\u201d<\/p>\n

Later, the Taoiseach told the D\u00e1il the Government \u201cwill engage with the Israeli government in terms of the release of all Irish citizens who have been wrongfully detained by Israeli military in international waters\u201d.<\/p>\n

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said Israel took this action \u201cnot because the flotilla posed any kind of threat, but to stop humanitarian aid reaching a starving population in Gaza.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe activists on the flotilla were kidnapped were simply trying to bring them food, medicine, and baby formula.\u201d<\/p>\n

People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett asked \u201cwhat crimes does Israel have to commit before we impose sanctions?\u201d<\/p>\n

He asked why the Government intends to vote against legislation he introduced to sanction Israel \u201cwhen the flotilla organisers and I would say the majority of people in this country are saying you should impose sanctions\u201d.<\/p>\n

Sinn F\u00e9in TD R\u00e9ada Cronin \u201cIrish citizens are sailing into danger, carrying aid, abiding by international law, because you have failed in your moral duty by allowing this horror to continue.\u201d<\/p>\n

She asked what he was going to do to protect Irish citizens on the flotilla.<\/p>\n

Martin responded they were working \u201cextremely hard through our ambassadors to make sure all Irish citizens are looked after and that they\u2019re released\u201d.<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cI do not accept it\u2019s the Irish Government\u2019s fault that the flotilla has been intercepted by Israel. They\u2019ve been doing that for over two decades.\u201d \u2013 Additional reporting: Reuters<\/p>\n