Sumud Flotilla Passenger British Journalist Yvonne Ridley Reported Missing After deportation from Israel to Turkey
British journalist and activist Yvonne Ridley, a participant in the Global Sumud Flotilla, has reportedly gone missing following her detention by Israeli forces during a humanitarian mission to the Gaza Strip.
Sources reported on Sunday that Yvonne Ridley, aged 67, was scheduled for deportation from Israel to Istanbul. However, she vanished during the transfer process, and her current location remains unknown.
Ridley was detained at the infamous Ketziot prison, where she engaged in a hunger strike and was reportedly denied access to her medication.
Ridley was granted consular access on Friday amid reports highlighting “deeply concerning” conditions of her detention.
Her family has been informed that her treatment has been characterized as both “aggressive” and “intimidating.”
Reports indicate that Israeli authorities allegedly removed her medication and offered alternatives, which she has declined to accept.
Ridley was among almost 500 individuals involved in the landmark mission aimed at providing humanitarian assistance to the besieged Palestinian region.
The flotilla was nearing Gaza when Israeli forces intercepted the convoy between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, as it navigated through international waters.
The Israeli military has intercepted and confiscated over 40 vessels, detaining the activists onboard and transferring them to areas under Israeli occupation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commended the nation’s military forces for their interception of the Sumud Flotilla in international waters, despite allegations of the operation being unauthorized.
Several activists have been detained pending deportation, with some being transferred to the infamous Ketziot prison located in the Negev desert within the Israeli-occupied territories, an area where human rights violations have been extensively documented.
Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, known for his far-right and hawkish stance, was captured on video visiting the jail on Friday. During his visit, he reiterated his position that activists from the flotilla should be considered as “terrorists” and advocated for their incarceration for “a few months.”
During a visit, jailed activists confronted Itamar Ben-Gvir, chanting “Free Palestine” directly at him.
The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has issued a strong condemnation of the recent incursion into a detention facility by an assertive Israeli minister.
The Palestinian organization has accused a far-right Israeli minister of attempting to portray a victory against peaceful activists, despite the fact that his regime, labeled as fascist by critics, is experiencing increasing international isolation.
Hamas has issued a call for accountability regarding Ben-Gvir’s remarks, suggesting that he should be held responsible for allegedly insulting international activists dedicated to peace.
Significant demonstrations took place across numerous capitals in Europe, Asia, and Latin America on Friday, voicing support for Palestine and condemning Israel’s aggressive actions against the Gaza-bound flotilla in international waters.
The conflict in Gaza, persisting since October 2023, has resulted in the deaths of over 67,000 Palestinians, the majority being women and children.
