The Israeli military intercepted boats from a new aid flotilla for the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning, hundreds of kilometres off the Palestinian coast.
The flotilla reportedly included at least four Belgians, as seen in videos shared by the organisation Global Sumud Flotilla on X.
Among them were Dan Jans aboard the ‘Um Saad’, Youssef Reziki and Mohamed Azzouz on the ‘Anas Al Sharif’, and Bénédicte Lienard on the ‘Gaza Sunbirds’.
Reziki is better known as the Belgian rapper, Youssef Swatt, who confirmed his detention via Instagram, Le Soir reports.
In the videos, the activists deliver the same message: "If you’re watching this video, I have been kidnapped by the Israeli forces." They also call on Belgian authorities to demand their immediate release.
The organisation Freedom Flotilla confirmed on Telegram that all nine boats in the flotilla were intercepted.
Two other Belgians, Fadwa El Khattabi and Hanne Bosselaers, were allegedly on board the flotilla, but their status remains unknown.
According to the Global Sumud Flotilla, the boats were carrying "$110,000 worth of aid in the form of medicine, respiratory equipment and nutrition products for Gaza hospitals which are running out of supplies".
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the operation as "another futile attempt to break the naval blockade."
The ministry stated that the ships and their crews were transported to an Israeli port and "would soon be deported."
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