UPDATE: VI sailor Dane Hunter arrested by Israeli forces
The Global Sumud Flotilla was made up of 44 civilian boats with an estimated 500 people onboard and was trying to break Israel's sea blockade.
In an update on Facebook today, October 3, 2025, Ilyssa Forman reported that everyone from the flotilla was transferred from the Port of Ashdod to the Ketziot Detention Centre in the Negev desert, where, according to Forman, it is notorious for its mistreatment and abuse of prisoners.
No food or water
Forman claimed the flotilla participants were completely deprived of food and water yesterday. Many of them have also begun an open-ended hunger strike to protest Israel's illegal interception of the humanitarian flotilla.
Since being detained, according to Forman, participants have been visited by two Israeli ministers, including Ben-Gvir, who has accused the flotilla participants of being terrorists.
“He then does a 'walkthrough' of one of the seized ships from the flotilla to prove that there was no humanitarian aid on board. These are, of course, lies meant to manufacture consent for continued violence against Palestinians.”
‘This is all very scary’
In her Facebook post at 5:39 AM, Forman said the final ship from the Sumud Freedom Flotilla was just intercepted, and that more ships are coming from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and Thousand Madleens to Gaza.
“Amid all of this, I picture Dane continuing to embody strength, resilience, steadfastness, and light. I hope you can picture this too. This is all very scary, but know that Dane is not there alone—they are surrounded by hundreds of comrades who made this journey with them. And there are lawyers and advocates working around-the-clock to help get them out as soon as possible.”
Forman pleaded for pressure to be put on the governments in the US and Virgin Islands to demand Dane's immediate release.
Our News Centre reached out to both Governor Daniel Pruce and Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley regarding Mr Hunter’s detention; however, no response was received up to the time of publication.
See previous article published October 2, 2025
UK slammed for doing nothing as Israel attacks flotilla delivering aid to Gaza
- VI sailor Dane Hunter is part of Global Sumud Flotilla
Several boats from a large aid flotilla trying to reach Gaza have been boarded by Israeli authorities - with campaigner Greta Thunberg among those removed- while some of the vessels have reportedly come under attack by drones and water cannons.
And the United Kingdom (UK) government is being condemned by its own citizens for failing to intervene to allow the safe passage of the flotilla to the war-torn territory.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is made up of 44 civilian boats with an estimated 500 people onboard, and is trying to break Israel's sea blockade.
Virgin Islands sailor Dane Hunter is also part of the flotilla.
According to The Independent, the flotilla was confronted by Israeli warships overnight, October 1, 2025, and detained hundreds of activists onboard.
The flotilla ignored requests to turn back and organisers said the interception was illegal as it happened in "international waters" around 80 miles off the coast.
Greg Stoker, a US veteran who's involved, told Sky News water cannon had been used on some of the boats.
UK urged to fulfill its ‘moral duty’
British-Polish national Ewa Jasiewicz, who lives in London, was sailing the treacherous journey 15 years after reportedly witnessing Israeli forces kill nine of her fellow activists during a raid on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in 2010.
She was one of many detained by Israeli forces.
“I'm stunned that [prime minister Sir Keir Starmer] can be this morally and ethically bankrupt, is this what being in power does to somebody? I'm not just baffled, I'm disgusted as well,” Ms Jasiewicz, one of Sir Keir’s constituents, told The Independent, calling on the UK to fulfill its “moral duty” to “prevent genocide” in Gaza.
“I fully expect my MP to intervene on my behalf and to support civilian efforts to break the siege on Gaza. I expect full diplomatic and state efforts to to lift this genocidal siege on Gaza,” Jasiewicz said.
VI sailor made last FB post on Sept 30
Meanwhile, Hunter, who said he has Palestinian friends in the Caribbean and New York, and that his decision to join the flotilla was deeply personal, has not updated his Facebook page since 6:25 PM on Tuesday, September 30.
“We're approaching the critical zone. Comms are on the fritz, internet will likely go next. May not hear from me for a bit. Keep your eyes on the flotilla, and most importantly, on Gaza,” Hunter last wrote.
According to Sky News, Israel didn't comment, but has said it will use any means to stop the boats getting to Gaza.
Protests erupted around the world after Israel's interception of the flotilla.
People took to the streets in solidarity with the flotilla in countries including Italy, Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
Gaza has been dealing with severe food shortages due to the ongoing war.
Israel put in a sea blockade when Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, and there have been several attempts to break it since then.
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25 Responses to “UPDATE: VI sailor Dane Hunter arrested by Israeli forces”
Greta should have been allowed to land in Gaza - in her brief shorts and with her gay friends - I would have given them less than an hour before those they claim support would have killed them.
Your brain is stock in rubber
For a conflict that has been depicted as a genocide by many, I would expect that these same people would cheer loudly for this plan and encourage the Palestinians, through their Govt, Hamas, to wholeheartedly adopt the plan to end the war and prevent any further slaughter of their people.
The response to this plan will be clarifying. Israel has already pledged its support for it. Let's see what Hamas does with it.
England, Amerika, Israel are b!#Ces in this world. full b!#Cches
British are now citing on the sidelines. US won't do anything including saving lives of its citizens. The US politicians didn't react even when US soldiers were killed.
Netanyahu and Zionists have killed 100 of thousands of civilians/kids on their own land. Yes, they have control of worldwide money, but someone has to wake up. Europe is also ignoring Israel's genocide and killings of their citizens, Russia and China can pit a checkmate on mass killings including of journalists and provide aid to dying civilians and kids. Perhaps have courage defend any attack on them and their citizens. West has no moral Authority saying anything to Russia or China.
Gazan countries are enemies. The air and naval blockade by Israel since 2007 of their enemy is a basic war tactic to weaken their enemy. Any plane or boat that attempts to penetrate the blockade is viewed as the enemy and stopped accordingly.