The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) has announced it is 'urgently seeking' welfare updates for 11 Australians who were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian aid convoy attempting to break the Israeli siege of Gaza. A Dfat spokesperson encouraged those wishing to deliver aid 'to do so through established channels,' presumably channels that don't involve being detained in international waters.
The flotilla participants - academics, doctors, students, activists, and film-makers - allege they were kidnapped by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) while in international waters. This, they note, is the second time Israel has 'illegally abducted Australian citizens in international waters' without the Australian government intervening. 'For as long as Australia continues to support Israel's genocide, Australians will keep sailing,' one participant declared, adding the grimly unpredictable nature of the situation: 'You never know the minute when the Israelis decide that 'yeah, let's fuck over some ordinary people,' 500 of them, who have got a whole load of baby food in boats trying to break their illegal siege in international waters.'
The participants called on the Australian government to 'do everything that you can to keep us safe,' noting that 'here we are in international waters, and our governments are completely failing us.' Meanwhile, Dfat continues to encourage aid delivery through 'established channels' - a phrase that has historically worked out great for everyone involved.