Six Australians are being held hostage by Israel while attempting to deliver aid to Gaza: Family plead for safety of loved ones.
Six Australian citizens carrying aid to Gaza with the Global Sumud Flotilla have been taken hostage by Israeli naval forces in international waters west of Crete overnight (Greek time).
Family of detained citizens are pleading for the Australian government to do everything they can to protect their loved ones. Israel claims 175 participants were captured. Boats were sabotaged.
The fleet was around 1400km away from Gaza when the Israeli navy surrounded and illegally intercepted 22 of 58 boats and abducted dozens of people, including Australian citizens.
The Australian delegation has confirmed that Bianca Webb-Pullman, Ethan Floyd, Zack Schofield, Neve O'Connor, Surya McEwen, and Cameron Tribe were on board the intercepted vessels.
Despite the illegal attacks in international waters, the flotilla will continue sailing towards Greek waters. This includes at least two Australians Anny Mokotow and Sam Woripa Watson.
Neve O'Connor, an Australian who is currently being held hostage said on Instagram early this morning: "We are in the sight of a potential warship from an unknown entity. We don't know what's going on. We're completely at a loss, our radios have been jammed, there's drone activity... we're preparing for interception."
Zack Schofield, also aboard the flotilla said: "We've had drones flying over us all night and there are many reports of warships and tactical RIBs with tactical units on board shining lights and harassing the fleet.
"We're nowhere close to the claimed territorial waters of Israel, and what is really terrifying about this is that it's yet another example of Israel breaking every single international law in the book to continue their genocide of the Palestinians. If they are seizing us here on the high seas that is so clearly an act of kidnapping and piracy under international law, the question is will any of our governments take action against them?"
Joanne Jaworoski, Zack Schofield's mother said at a press conference in Sydney on Thursday 30 April 2026:
"Zack is our only son. He's our only child. He's on the flotilla because he is kind, smart, and caring, and he has understood that the people in Gaza have been deliberately being starved, and he was on the flotilla to deliver food and medicine to the sick and the starving in Gaza, which is a legal act. So I've asked Minister Wong's office, Sharon Claydon's office, and DFAT to call me and let me know exactly what they're doing and what they have done to secure everyone's safety. I haven't heard back from them yet."
Dr Peter Schofield, Zack's father: "We are obviously very concerned about the safety of our son but we remind ourselves that the anxiety and pain that we feel today is but a token relative to the privation, the desperate straits that those Palestinian people are experiencing day by day, month by month, year by year."
Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens: "The track record of the Albanese government, the Prime Minister, and Minister Wong has been woeful on how they have taken no action to stop the genocide.
"This is a legal, lawful, peaceful, humanitarian mission that they are on. It is Minister Wong's job to protect Australian citizens and to look after their safety. It is Israel that has breached international law. Surely, this is the bare minimum that the foreign minister should be doing, to make sure that all Australian citizens are brought back to Australia safely."
Simon Jones, head of the Australian delegation of the Global Movement to Gaza said: "It is absolutely outrageous that Israel has once again illegally taken hostage humanitarian volunteers in international waters as they seek to get life-saving aid to Gaza.
"We demand that Minister Penny Wong and the Department of Foreign Affairs issue an unequivocal condemnation of Israel's actions as a violation of international law and extend immediate diplomatic protection to all Australian participants.
"We are calling on all nations to respond to this egregious act of state-sanctioned piracy by sending their own humanitarian aid vessels to ensure food, medicine and baby formula can reach the people of Gaza."
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A range of snap rallies are being organised for this evening and tomorrow in solidarity with Australians being held hostage. Information can be found here: https://let-aid-flow.carrd.co/
