Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
09 January 2025 | 10:36 CAT

“Israel’s siege continues: Activists kidnapped in international waters as Gaza faces intensified assaults, foreign-backed militias, and deepening humanitarian crisis.”

After a brief and fragile ceasefire, Israel has resumed its military aggression on the besieged Gaza Strip, with relentless attacks unfolding since 18 March. According to reports, over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since the resumption, in what rights groups and observers have widely condemned as a continued genocide.

Among the deadliest strikes, an Israeli air assault on Gaza’s Shuja’iya neighbourhood at dawn this past Friday resulted in 20 civilian deaths. Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have further intensified operations in Gaza’s Old City, with sweeping evacuation orders forcing residents to flee without their belongings. The evacuation order reportedly read: “A severe and urgent warning…”, part of a broader campaign of displacement and destruction across the enclave.

Freedom Flotilla Under Attack: The Story of the ‘Madeline’

Moulana Ebrahim Moosa joined Radio Islam International with the latest Palestine Report, providing critical insights into the Israeli Navy’s violent interception of the Freedom Flotilla, specifically, a ship named Madeline, after a female fisherman in Gaza who remains among the displaced.

“This was not merely about aid,” Moosa said, “it was about breaking the siege and creating symbolic international pressure.” The Madeline carried 12 international activists and a small quantity of humanitarian aid, more a statement of solidarity than a relief effort.

According to Moosa, “Israeli War Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to stop the flotilla ‘by any means necessary’ a direct threat that was followed through in international waters, a serious violation of international law.”

As Israeli military speedboats encircled the vessel, signals were jammed, and quadcopter drones flew overhead, signalling an imminent and hostile takeover. Activists onboard, who had prepared for such a scenario, were instructed to don life jackets and ready passports. Then came a white irritant substance, disturbing sounds over hacked radio frequencies, and finally, the kidnapping of the entire crew.

“This happened in international waters, which is a crime of the first order,” Moosa emphasised.

Captured video and audio recordings of the encounter stand as testimony to the illegal nature of the operation.

Kidnapped Activists and Propaganda Warfare

Reports now confirm that the kidnapped activists are being held at a naval base near Ashdod, in the 1948-occupied territories. The Israeli authorities, Moosa says, are preparing to coerce the activists into watching propaganda videos portraying alleged Hamas atrocities.

Meanwhile, Israeli media and officials are attempting to discredit the activists, calling the flotilla a “celebrity mission” with “negligible aid”. But global voices are rising in support.

Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur, has demanded their immediate release and called for a unified maritime response:

“Every Mediterranean port should send boats with aid, solidarity, and humanity to Gaza. They shall sail together—united—and if they do, they will be unstoppable.”

This momentum is catalysing larger mobilisations, including:

• The Global March to Gaza, beginning in Cairo with participants marching 50 km from Al-Arish to Gaza.
• A large-scale land convoy from the Maghreb, involving over 7,000 people from across North Africa, travelling via Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt toward Rafah.

Exposing Israeli-Backed Militias in Gaza

In a chilling new revelation, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has publicly admitted that Israel is arming gangs inside Gaza. These gangs, long accused by Palestinians of stealing aid and sowing chaos, have been confirmed as Israeli proxies.

Moosa explains, “This information, ironically, has come from internal Israeli political squabbles. Former war minister Avigdor Lieberman revealed that the Israeli state is backing groups linked to ISIS, notably a gang led by Yasser Abu Shabab.”

This group, numbering around 100 armed men, has reportedly received Kalashnikovs and confiscated Hamas weapons from Israel. Their role appears to be to destabilise Gaza further and pave the way for proxy warfare, similar to conflicts in Sudan and Syria.

Most concerning, however, are links between these gangs and:

• The Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah, despite official denials.
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) as recent footage surfaced of a gang member driving a jeep with Emirati license plates.

“This triangulated support of Israel, the PA, and the UAE shows how deeply orchestrated this post-war plan is to undermine any future for an independent Gaza,” warns Moosa.

A Call for Continued Vigilance and Solidarity

Despite the trauma, displacement, and growing dangers, Palestinians and their allies remain resolute. Moosa concluded with a message of hope:

“It’s not just about the Israelis winning one small battle. This is a growing global movement, and that’s something the occupiers will find increasingly difficult to stop.”

As the siege tightens and violence escalates, international solidarity is more crucial than ever, not just in aid, but in breaking the silence, exposing complicity, and standing unwavering in the face of injustice.

Listen to the Palestine Report on Sabahul Muslim with Muallimah Shakirah Hunter and Moulana Ebrahim Moosa.