‘We’re here to break the illegal siege’

Describing their mission as a stand against what he termed the "illegal siege" of Gaza, photographer-activist Shahidul Alam yesterday said the group's presence was not primarily for aid delivery.

"This is not primarily for delivering humanitarian aid, though we have supplies with us, so we do not become a burden on our Gaza brothers and sisters. We are here to break the illegal siege," Alam said.

"We are separate from the Sumud Flotilla. That was always the intention and the strategy," he said.

According to Alam, eight boats that set out and a larger vessel he's on remain -- a total of nine vessels -- and they expect to overtake other boats later in the day.

He acknowledged the risks of being the "front vessel," saying it was a calculated decision they had prepared for.

The vessel he is on is carrying 96 people, of whom 82 are media and medical professionals, along with some organisers, members of the Flotilla Coalition steering committee, and the ship's crew, he said.

Information is coming "in dribs and drabs" and cannot always be verified, Shahidul said in a video posted on his Facebook yesterday.

Alam said the sea was "quite calm" in the morning, but conditions are unpredictable. He said the vessel endured extremely rough seas the previous day; he himself felt briefly unwell but had recovered.

He added the flotilla seeks to protest "the journalists and medical professionals killed alongside the ordinary women, men and children, in Gaza by Israel," and to confront the "media siege" imposed by a blockade on foreign media.

"Your love and your encouragement give us strength. We shall prevail. Palestine will be free," the photographer-activist said.

The Israeli military intercepted the last boat in an aid flotilla attempting to reach blockaded Gaza yesterday, a day after stopping most of the vessels and detaining some 450 activists including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg.