30.04.2026 08:41
The Israeli army intercepted the Global Sumud Fleet off the coast of Crete, which included Margaret Connolly, the sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly. In a message she released, Connolly called, “Please ensure that Shannon Airport is no longer used by the US military. Stop our airport from being used to bomb Gaza and Palestine.”
The Israeli army intervened against the Global Sumud Fleet, which set sail in the Mediterranean to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and break the blockade. It was learned that the fleet included Margaret Connolly, the sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly.
ISRAELI SOLDIERS BOARDED THE BOATS
According to a report in the Irish Independent newspaper, Israeli soldiers boarded some boats belonging to the Global Sumud Fleet as it advanced off the coast of Crete. Activists reported that Israeli soldiers approached the ships in speedboats, then boarded some boats and forced volunteers onto the deck at gunpoint. The activists on the fleet tried to avoid detection by turning off the lights on the boats before the intervention. However, activists said they expected the Israeli army to intervene against the ships.
CALL FROM THE PRESIDENT'S SISTER
Margaret Connolly, sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly, who was on the fleet, addressed the Irish government in a video message. Connolly, seen wearing a life jacket, called for an end to the use of Shannon Airport by the U.S. military. Connolly said, "Please ensure that Shannon Airport is no longer used by the U.S. military. Stop our airport from being used to bomb Gaza and Palestine."
"WE ARE A PEACEFUL MISSION"
Emphasizing their support for the Palestinian people, Margaret Connolly called for their release in case of a potential intervention. Connolly stated, "If we are attacked and abducted tonight, we demand the release of ourselves and the Palestinian hostages. We are a peaceful mission; we have done nothing wrong." Connolly, a general practitioner in Ireland, had joined the boat that set sail from Sicily towards Gaza on Sunday, April 26, to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and protest the Israeli blockade.
FLEET SET SAIL IN THE MEDITERRANEAN ON APRIL 26
The "2026 Spring Mission" of the Global Sumud Fleet, aimed at breaking Israel's blockade of Gaza and delivering humanitarian aid to the region, set sail in the Mediterranean on April 26 after completing preparations on Italy's Sicily Island. The fleet was closely monitored by the international community as it advanced towards Gaza. Activists stated that the main purpose of the journey was to deliver humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza and draw attention to the consequences of the blockade.
PREVIOUSLY STOPPED AS WELL
In the Global Sumud Fleet's first attempt in September 2025, the Israeli army also intervened against the fleet. Israeli soldiers boarded boats in the international waters of the Mediterranean, detained volunteers, and took them to Israel. The latest intervention has brought the tension surrounding the blockade and humanitarian aid efforts for Gaza back to the international agenda.