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Middle East
DFAT liaising with Israel authorities after six Aussie activists detained
At least six Australians have been detained by Israel after hundreds of activists attempted to deliver aid to war-torn Gaza.
October 3, 2025 – 10:54AM
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Greta Thunberg’s Gaza aid flotilla intercepted by Israel
A fleet of pro-Palestinian vessels attempting to deliver aid and medicine to war-torn Gaza has been intercepted by Israel’s military.
At least six Australians are among the hundreds of activists who have been detained by Israel after trying to deliver aid to war-torn Gaza.
Global Sumud Flotilla, a convoy of 50 boats from some 44 nations, was intercepted by the Israeli navy on Wednesday night less than 150 kilometres from the enclave.
Water was sprayed at the activists, a live feed showed, with vessels instructed to turn around while others were boarded by masked soldiers who detained about 250 people.
Among those were at least six Australians.
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg was almost some 250 activists detained trying to deliver aid to Gaza. Picture: / Israeli Foreign Ministry / AFP
Soliders from the Israeli navy on board one of the boats it intercepted on Wednesday (local time). Picture: Global Sumud Flotilla via AP
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Aussie filmmaker Julie Lamont, who was on the boat named Wahoo, recalled the moment.
“They shone really bright lights into our faces. We all put the surrender hands up and they did it about three times and now they’re gone (but) other boats are being intercepted – it feels like a cat-and-mouse game,” she told 9News.
Ms Lamont said she and her fellow activists will not be deterred.
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Gaza bound humanitarian flotilla attacked by drone
The organisers of a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid bound for Gaza said…
“We have a real sense of justice – that doesn’t mean that we’re not all terrified but yeah we’re going to keep pushing through,” she said.
Israel’s intercept led to anger on the streets of Sydney on Thursday night.
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian supporters, holding flags and posters, held a snap protest in the CBD. At one point they shouted “Albanese, blood on your hands!”
One video showed a demonstrator physically clashing with police officers.
Aussie filmmaker Julie Lamont. Picture: Supplied
About 400 protesters took to the streets of Sydney on Thursday night after the intercept of the boats. Picture: Instagram
In a statement to news.com.au, police spokeswoman said officers were called to an “unauthorised protest” involved an estimated 400 people who marched through the city.
The group later returned to Town Hall.
“There was minimal impact on pedestrian or road traffic in the area,” police said.
“The group dispersed around 7.30pm, with no arrests made or any incidents of note.”
Similar rallies were also across the world, including across Spain, where the flotilla departed, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Turkey, and Venezuela.
The Department of Foreign Affair and Trade (DFAT) said it is “liaising with Israeli authorities and stand ready to provide consular assistance to any affected Australians”.
“Australia calls on all parties to respect international law, to ensure the safety and humane treatment of those involved,” A DFAT officials said on Thursday.
“We understand that people want to deliver aid to those suffering in Gaza – we also want to see critical aid delivered.
“For some time, we have warned against attempts to breach the naval blockade and strongly advised Australians not to do so because of the risks to their safety.
“We repeat our call on Israel to enable the sustained, unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.”
Demonstrations were also held in other parts of the world. Picture: AP Photo/Kin Cheung
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Colosseum in Rome. Picture: Cecilia Fabiano/LaPresse via AP
Pro-Palestinian supporters outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Picture: AP Photo/Emrah Gurel
Western Australia Senator Fatima Payman, who last year crossed the floor in the Senate in support of recognising a Palestinian state – urged the Albanese government to protect the Aussie activists.
“The Australian government needs to ensure the safety and protection of its citizens on the Global Sumud Flotilla and demand for their immediate release,” she said on social media.
“I commend our 6 brave Aussies for being the conscience of our nation and having the outrage, many in positions of power and influence, fail to demonstrate.”
Israel law enforcement officials say 250 activists who were detained have been processed by police after arriving at Ashdod Port, south of Tel Aviv.
Among those was high-profile Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.
The group are set to be deported back to their respective countries.
More strikes and deaths in Gaza
Israeli strikes killed at least 52 people across Gaza on Thursday, the territory’s civil defence agency and hospitals said, including an employee of the French charity Doctors Without Borders.
The civil defence agency, a rescue force which operates under Hamas authority, said the deaths were caused “by continuous Israeli bombardments on the Gaza Strip since dawn,” specifying that 10 people, including at least one child, were killed in Gaza City.
Several hospitals confirmed to AFP that they had received 10 bodies in Gaza City, 14 in central Gaza, and 28 in the territory’s south.
They reported that some were killed in air strikes, others by drone fire and shootings.
Asked for comment, the Israeli army said it was looking into the matter.
The Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis reported nearly 30 deaths, including 14 killed by “Israeli gunfire” targeting Palestinians waiting for food distribution in the Al-Tina and Morag areas.
The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah said it had received nine bodies after several strikes on nearby areas.
More deaths have been reported as Israel continues strikes on Gaza. Picture: Omar Al-Qattaa/ AFP
An AFP photographer saw several corpses, some wrapped in white shrouds, in the hospital morgue as relatives mourned nearby.
Among the dead was 42-year-old Omar al-Hayek, a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) staff member.
He was killed in a strike on a group of civilians in central Deir al-Balah, according to the hospital and his family.
“We received word that some of our staff had been injured and taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital,” Karin Huster, head of the MSF medical team in Gaza, told AFP.
“When we arrived, we discovered that one of our colleagues had been killed, and four others wounded.
“The consequences will be tragic for their families and for our team. Enough killings – whether targeted or not, this is unacceptable.”
The nearly two-year war in Gaza broke out after Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
It resulted in the deaths of 1219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Israel’s retaliatory military campaign since then has killed 66,225 Palestinians in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry, which the United Nations considers reliable.
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