Israeli forces reportedly detain Saad Edhi, others after intercepting Gaza aid flotilla

Saad Edhi, son of prominent social worker Faisal Edhi, was reportedly detained by Israeli forces on Monday along with other members of the Global Sumud Flotilla after at least 10 boats were intercepted in the eastern Mediterranean. The organisers of the flotilla said Israeli forces had intercepted 10 of their boats and that contact had been lost with a total 23 vessels in the eastern Mediterranean. Earlier on Monday, Israel’s foreign ministry posted on X ​that it “will not allow any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza”. In a video posted on Edhi’s official Facebook handle, Faisal said that at around 1pm today, “the Gaza aid flotilla was intercepted by Israeli forces near Cyprus and its members have been arrested, including Saad Edhi”. He also appealed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take action following his son’s detention by Israeli forces. “They were arrested in international waters and Israeli forces have no right to do so. Israel has arrested them illegally and their whereabouts are unknown,” he said. He said that Saad, a Pakistani citizen, was part of the Gaza Sumud Flotilla and was going to help war-affected people in Gaza. He added that around 500 people from different countries were also part of it. “They were bringing food and medicines for the people of Gaza.” “Now they have been arrested, we don’t know anything about their whereabouts,” he said, adding that their mobile phones had also been snatched. “I appeal to Pakistan’s foreign ministry to take action, as a Pakistani citizen has been arrested by Israeli forces,” Faisal said. He also appealed to the ministry to confer with the United Nations and the international community against this “illegal and inhuman conduct by Israeli forces” and to stop the “genocide in Gaza.” Earlier today, his son also issued a video statement from the Gaza Sumud Flotilla. “I am Saad Edhi, a Pakistani citizen. If you are watching this video, it means that I have been intercepted or am being intercepted,” he sai