Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read | 14 October 2025 | 14:04 CAT

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – OCTOBER 9: (SPEECH) Fatima Hendricks speaks about how Israeli soldiers brutalised activists during a disagreement over prison mattresses on October 9, 2025, in Cape Town, South Africa. Israeli authorities detained South African activists for taking part in the Gaza Sumud Freedom Flotilla. They were released and deported after intervention by the South African government and international pressure. (Footage by Wesley Fester/Getty Images)

A wave of reflection, resilience, and renewed activism follows the return of South African occupational therapist and activist Dr Fatima Hendricks, one of the few local participants aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian convoy that set sail to challenge Israel’s ongoing blockade of Gaza. The mission, which brought together activists, doctors, clergy, and human rights defenders from across the world, was intercepted in international waters by Israeli forces.

Dr Hendricks, an occupational therapist and long-time advocate for human rights, recounts the moments of humiliation she and others endured while in Israeli custody. “They stripped me of my hijab, mocked the scars left by my cancer treatment, and held us for days,” she told Radio Islam International. “We were demeaned and treated as criminals, yet all we carried were medicines, medical supplies, and the will to stand for justice. But I return unbroken, my voice louder than ever against modern-day apartheid.”

Since her release, Dr Hendricks has been welcomed home with prayers, dhikr, and gatherings of solidarity. “These have been days of deep gratitude and reflection,” she shared. “I’ve met people who made dua for Palestine and for the flotilla. Their support reminds me why we sailed to stand for humanity, for dignity, and for the right to live free from oppression.”

The Sumud Flotilla, named after the Arabic word for “steadfastness,” carried representatives from over 30 countries, symbolising global unity against injustice. “It was a mass mobilization never seen before,” Dr Hendricks reflected. “People of every race, faith, and nation stood shoulder to shoulder. Even Israeli soldiers were bewildered they saw blue-eyed, blonde-haired Europeans and brown-skinned activists from the Global South united for Palestine. It shattered their illusion of moral superiority.”

For Dr Hendricks, the flotilla’s impact extends beyond the Mediterranean. “This collective effort the ports closing, the global marches, the online campaigns all of it helped push for the current ceasefire,” she explained. “We are told it came through diplomacy, but it was people’s resistance, Palestinians livestreaming their own suffering, and the world’s moral outrage that forced Israel’s hand.”

Turning her attention to South Africa, she urged reflection on local complicity. “Zionism is alive and well here, through lobbying, trade, and silence,” she said. “Our government must be held accountable for its ties, the continued sale of coal, and its failure to prosecute hate groups. We cannot fight apartheid abroad while ignoring its shadow at home.”

Her message to South Africans is one of endurance and purpose. “It was the people’s flotilla that sailed when governments failed. We must continue organizing, mobilizing, and standing in loving solidarity until Palestine, and all oppressed people, are free.”

Listen to the full interview on Sabahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat and Dr Fatima Hendricks.