Seven Irish activists have been “kidnapped” after Israel intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, its organisers have said.
A spokesperson for the group said 22 Irish people are involved in the flotilla and described it as “a peaceful humanitarian mission bringing aid and aiming to break the siege on Gaza”.
They said their boats were in international waters off the coast of the Greek island Crete when Israeli authorities “rammed” and boarded their vessels on Wednesday night.
The Minister for Justice has condemned the seizure of the boats and called for the release of the Irish detainees.
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“I condemn the seizure of vessels participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters off the coast of Greece,” said Helen McEntee on Friday. “I call on the Israeli authorities to immediately release all Irish citizens detained during this operation, to uphold their obligations under international law, and to guarantee the safety and welfare of all those on board.”
Seven Irish participants were taken “along with hundreds of others”, said Karen Moynihan, head of the Irish Global Sumud Delegation.
“They attacked the flotilla, rammed boats, boarded boats with guns” she added. “People were forcibly removed, they were kidnapped. We do not know where they are right now.”
It is understood that crew members of the intercepted flotilla are expected to be released in Greece.
The Irish citizens who were taken have been named as Catriona Graham, Fiacc O’Brolchain, Robert Murphy, Colm Byrne, Martin Guilfoyle, Michael Fix and John Connellan.
Margaret Connolly, sister of President Catherine Connolly, was among the 22 Irish people on the boats but was not detained by Israeli forces.
McEntee said officials from her department, including staff at the Irish embassies in Athens and Tel Aviv, have been engaging with the relevant authorities.
She said they “stand ready to provide consular assistance to any Irish citizens arriving in Greece as a result of these developments.
“My clear priority is the safety and wellbeing of all Irish citizens involved.”
A video of Margaret Connolly, on board a boat, was posted to Instagram on Wednesday night along with a caption that said “surrounding boats” were being intercepted.
In the video she says “please call for our release, the release of all Palestinian hostages, should we be attacked and abducted tonight”.
Ó Brolcháin, from south Dublin, is a sailor with more than 50 years of experience at sea. Martin Guilfoyle, originally from Clare but now based in the UK, is the uncle of the Co Clare Sinn Féin councillor Tommy Guilfoyle.
Fix is an American and Irish citizen with family from Galway and Mayo. He was previously detained by Israel on the 2025 Freedom Flotilla with Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and released on October 7th. Graham, an activist from Dublin, was also on the 2025 fleet.
Byrne is from north Kildare, while Murphy is from Finglas.
Five of the group had pre-recorded videos to be released in the event of the capture of their boats by Israeli forces. These were shared on the Instagram account of the Irish delegation of the Global Sumud Flotilla on Thursday morning.
Supporters of the Global Sumud Flotilla organised a protest outside Leinster House on Thursday to call on the Government to “do everything they can to protect the safe passage of the humanitarian mission, and protect Irish participants from illegal Israeli aggression”. – Additional reporting PA
