New Zealanders Rana Hamida, Youssef Sammour and Samuel Francis Star Leason were on board the Global Sumud Flotilla. Photo: Screenshot
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) says Israel has confirmed that all passengers - which includes three Zealanders - on board ships taking part in the Gaza-bound flotilla are safe and being transferred to processing facilities.
On Monday, organisers for the humanitarian flotilla trying to break an Israeli blockade said the boats of Rana Hamida, Youssef Sammour and Kiwi teenager Samuel Leason were illegally intercepted.
A MFAT spokesperson said on Friday that all vessels there were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla - a group of boats carrying 500 people, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg - had been intercepted by the Israeli Navy.
"MFAT is aware that all vessels in the flotilla have now been intercepted by the Israeli Navy. Israel has advised that all passengers are safe and are being transferred to processing facilities," the statement said.
According to the Global Sumud Flotilla tracker and livestream, one boat, the Marinette, was still sailing towards Gaza on Friday evening (NZ time). It was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters just before 8.30pm NZ time.
"New Zealand has a long-standing 'do not travel' advisory in place for Gaza," MFAT said. "The advisory explicitly warns New Zealanders against any attempt to enter Gaza by sea in breach of Israeli Navy restrictions, including participation in flotillas to deliver aid.
"However, the safety of New Zealanders is paramount. We expect any New Zealanders in the flotilla to be treated in a manner consistent with international law and have communicated this directly to Israel several times."
Sam Leason was one of the New Zealanders taking part in the flotilla and was detained by Israel.
On Thursday, after losing communication with the boat, Sam's father Adi told RNZ's Midday Report he was immensely proud of his son's participation in the flotilla.
The MFAT spokesperson said the New Zealand Embassy in Ankara had been proactive in contact with Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on their expectations, such as consular services.
"Given we do not have an embassy presence in Israel, a consular partner in Tel Aviv will provide in-person support should that be needed," they said.
"The New Zealand Embassy is also seeking an opportunity to speak with the three individuals."
It declined to comment on individual cases for privacy reasons.
MFAT also asked the public to refrain from calling the consular emergency lines unless it was their own or family member's emergency as the high volume had impacted their ability to provide consular assistance to other New Zealanders in need.
RNZ previously had contact with three of the New Zealanders on board the flotilla.
Leason told Checkpoint last week that boats that were part of the flotilla had been attacked by drones.
"I think nine boats got hit by bombs and other liquids ... flammable liquids. I think 12 different things were dropped on nine different boats. ...It was red alert, all crazy, it was a pretty scary time."
Leason said he was taking part in the flotilla because children were being bombed in Gaza and the New Zealand government wasn't doing enough to deter Israel.
He was scared but noted it did not compare to what Gazans were enduring on a daily basis.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Thursday that a New Zealand-born Melbourne-based GP named Bianca Webb-Pullman was sailing with the flotilla.
Last month, Youssef Sammour told Saturday Morning that he had been involved in two similar flotilla missions prior to being involved in the current event.
Sammour said he was hopeful that boats from the flotilla would make it to Gaza given how many people were involved.
He said that he was on a 42-foot sailing yacht with six others onboard.
Those people included an influencer, a journalist, a medic and an MP from Spain.
In 2019, Rana Hamida spoke to RNZ's Afternoons about her and her family's journey to New Zealand.
Hamida said she was a Palestinian born in Syria. She moved when war broke out in the city of Aleppo.
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