The number of Irish citizens on board a Gaza aid flotilla who have been detained by Israel has increased to 13.
President Catherine Connolly’s sister, Dr Margaret Connolly, a GP from Co Sligo, is one of those detained.
According to the Instagram page 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’Daly, Joshua St Leger, Louise McCormack and Catriona Graham.
The Global Sumud Flotilla was travelling to Gaza, bringing food and medical supplies, when vessels were intercepted by Israeli forces.
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Israeli forces opened fire on at least two vessels in the flotilla, according to video footage and flotilla organisers, but Israel said no live ammunition was used and there were no casualties.
Video from the flotilla’s livestream showed soldiers firing shots at two of the boats. The type of ammunition fired was not clear.
“At no point was live ammunition fired,” the Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement.
“Following multiple warnings, non-lethal means were employed toward the vessel – not toward protesters – as a warning. No protesters were injured during this event,” it added, only referring to action against one vessel.
The Global Sumud Flotilla said on its website that 48 vessels had been intercepted, with some 400 people detained and two boats still sailing in the eastern Mediterranean.
Tánaiste Simon Harris earlier said his thoughts are with the President after the “illegal” detention of Irish people.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said it is “wrong” and “unacceptable” that Irish citizens have been detained by Israeli forces.
The President said on Monday she was “very worried” that her sister has been detained by Israeli forces after the interception of boats involved in the aid flotilla.
Ships from the Global Sumud Flotilla had set sail for a third time last Thursday from southern Turkey, after earlier attempts to deliver aid to Gaza were intercepted by Israel in international waters.
Harris said on Tuesday: “I was very struck by the President’s comments yesterday, because on a purely personal level, of course you’d be worried, and my heart goes out to President Connolly and her family, and indeed all of the families of those detained.
“What 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.”
Asked whether the Irish Government should engage with Israel on the detention of the President’s sister, Harris said: “We’re at this long enough to know that Israel doesn’t really care very much for people’s words, does it?”
He said members of Government, Opposition and others have criticised Israel’s actions in Gaza but “unfortunately Israel seems to ignore the condemnation of the international world”.
“That’s why I think it’s important that we look at the actions that can be taken,” he said, referring to the Occupied Territories Bill and action at EU level.
The Taoiseach said the behaviour of Israel in international waters against the aid flotilla is “unacceptable” and that people have a right to protest and take part in a mission to highlight the “shocking” humanitarian issue in Gaza.
“In the first instance, what happened is absolutely unacceptable and is wrong,” Martin said in advance of Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting.
“We have condemned that as we have before where Israel intervenes in international waters and detains and essentially abducts people from the ships, and that’s unacceptable and the international rule of law has to apply.
“So, 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.”
Later, the Taoiseach told the Dáil the Government “will 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”.
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said Israel took this action “not because the flotilla posed any kind of threat, but to stop humanitarian aid reaching a starving population in Gaza.
“The activists on the flotilla were kidnapped were simply trying to bring them food, medicine, and baby formula.”
People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett asked “what crimes does Israel have to commit before we impose sanctions?”
He asked why the Government intends to vote against legislation he introduced to sanction Israel “when the flotilla organisers and I would say the majority of people in this country are saying you should impose sanctions”.
Sinn Féin TD Réada Cronin “Irish 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.”
She asked what he was going to do to protect Irish citizens on the flotilla.
Martin responded they were working “extremely hard through our ambassadors to make sure all Irish citizens are looked after and that they’re released”.
He added: “I do not accept it’s the Irish Government’s fault that the flotilla has been intercepted by Israel. They’ve been doing that for over two decades.” – Additional reporting: Reuters
