A Luxembourg activist is among those caught up in a naval operation after Israeli forces stopped a fleet of aid ships bound for Gaza, prompting protests at home and calls for government action.
Nora Rosa Fellens Huberty, the activist who was detained by the Israeli navy, met in an Israeli prison with the Belgian ambassador to Israel, who also covers Luxembourg.
The organisation March to Gaza shared this information Saturday, saying the activist is doing well. Meanwhile, members of the Global Movement to Gaza are still camping in front of the Foreign Ministry in Luxembourg City.
They said they plan to remain there until the Luxembourg activist is on a plane back to Luxembourg, according to a message published on Saturday.
Timeline of events
On Thursday, the Israeli navy stopped in the Mediterranean a private fleet of ships carrying aid supplies to the Gaza Strip. Among those affected was Mia Mia, the boat on which Luxembourg's Nora Fellens Huberty was travelling. After more than three hours without contact with the boat, it was finally confirmed by March to Gaza Luxembourg organiser Patrick Bosch, that Huberty is in Israeli custody.
An update by Bosch on Friday noon stated that the detainees are now in a "prison near the Egyptian border", although there were no specific details about Nora. Bosch also reports that the activists in custody have received neither food nor water.
The Global Sumud Flotilla has a team of 20 to 30 lawyers supporting the activists from both Israel and abroad. While some speculate the activists will be released as early as Friday, others expect the release early next week.
In a prerecorded video shared by the organisation March to Gaza Luxembourg, Fellens Huberty says that she had been "kidnapped" and taken away against her will by Israeli occupation forces.
Around 40 pro-Palestinian motor and sailing boats had joined together under the name Global Sumud Flotilla to deliver aid supplies to the enclave. According to a joint statement by Global Movement to Gaza and Global Sumud Flotilla, they were stopped by Israeli authorities during the night to Thursday, leading to what they describe as "illegal arrests". Some of the boats were allegedly towed away by Israel, while others remain on their way to Gaza.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the boats with their passengers were escorted into an Israeli harbour between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. The activists describe this as "kidnapping". In a statement, the Foreign Ministry confirmed this account and expressed that it is "deeply concerned" about the reports. The authorities called on those responsible in Israel to guarantee the safety of the people involved and to refrain from any form of violence against them. Luxembourg will remain in close contact with its partners in this context, including Belgium, Italy, and Spain.
Among the ships was also that of Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. A video published on X shows Thunberg along with several masked and armed Israeli soldiers.
People have been called upon to gather between 12.30pm and 6.30pm in front of the Foreign Ministry, urging the government to intervene ant to ensure international law is respected. Demands include the release of all members of the Global Sumud Flotilla, including those on board the Mia Mia.
