South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday, October 2, demanded the immediate release of South Africans and other foreign nationals detained by Israeli forces following an attack on a humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza.
He denounced the raid, which took place in international waters on Wednesday, as a grave violation of international law and an affront to global solidarity aimed at easing Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis. Ramaphosa said the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla reflected Israel’s continued disregard for international norms and breached an International Court of Justice order requiring unhindered humanitarian access. He called on Israel to free all detainees and allow aid ships to deliver their cargo.
Among those confirmed seized are Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, Zukiswa Wanner and Reaaz Moolla, while authorities are verifying the status of Zaheera Soomar, Fatima Hendricks and Carrie Shelver.
The flotilla, comprising more than 40 vessels and over 500 volunteers from about 40 countries, was attacked by Israeli naval forces some 80 nautical miles off Gaza, with 21 vessels targeted and at least 317 activists detained.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that several boats were diverted to an Israeli port. The incident comes amid Israel’s 18-year blockade of Gaza, further tightened in March, and ongoing military operations that have killed more than 66,000 Palestinians since October 2023, deepening what the UN has described as an uninhabitable humanitarian disaster.