A group of Australian humanitarians have been detained in international waters by Israel Defence Forces (IDF), and their supporters have called on the Australian government to do everything in its power to ensure their safety.
A press statement shared with Rolling Stone AU/NZ says that Surya McEwen, Abubakir Rafiq, Hamish Paterson, Juliet Lamont, Bianca Webb-Pullman, and Dan Coward “were abducted from their vessels” just 70kms out from the Gaza coastline. They remain in Israeli custody.
The activists were participating in the highly publicised Global Sumud Flotilla, described as the largest coordinated civilian flotilla in history, before the IDF detained them. Activists from 40 countries were part of the flotilla, which sailed from multiple global ports towards Gaza in order to attempt to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
Following the IDF’s detainment, Surya McEwen’s support team has called upon Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister of Foreign Affairs Penny Wong to “use all diplomatic and economic tools at their disposal to ensure all six Australians are released immediately.”
They further demand that Israel be reminded of International Humanitarian Law Rule 31, which states that humanitarian relief personnel must be respected and protected.
“We are begging our leaders to not let what happened to Zomi Frankcom or Tess Ingram, happen to Surya, Abubakir, Hamish, Juliet, Bianca, or Dan. Humanitarians should not have to risk their lives or be persecuted for wanting to feed starving people,” Jessica Mamone, a friend and supporter of McEwen, shares.
“We implore the Australian Government to use every effort to keep them safe. To demand Israel release all six Australians immediately and unharmed,” Jacinta McEwen, his mother, adds.
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McEwen previously tired to deliver aid to Gaza as part of an international crew in 2024.
“It’s such a desperate human situation that the opportunity to deliver 5,500 tonnes of desperately needed aid felt like something I wanted to be a part of,” he told ABC at the time.
Agence France-Presse (per The Guardian) quoted flotilla spokesperson Saif Abukeshek as saying Israeli forces had intercepted 13 boats carrying around 200 people in total, including many from Spain and Italy.
Of the remaining vessels, Abukeshek stated on social media that “[t]hey are determined. They are motivated, and they are doing everything within their hands to be able to break the siege by this early morning.”
The Australian government endorsed the Trump administration’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza last week, with PM Albanese calling for all parties to engage with the plan.
“Australia urges all parties to engage seriously with the plan and to work to bring its vision into reality without delay, together with our partners,” he told reporters.
“We commend the focus which is there in the plan for Palestinian self-determination and state and the Palestinian Authority support for the plan, along with so many other nations in the region and countries which have populations of large Muslim populations, such as Indonesia and Pakistan.”
