Desk Report:
Israel has announced that it has seized all but one of the ships carrying aid to Gaza. Then, Bangladeshi Shahidul Alam, who was on the flotilla, posted a video message on Facebook. In the video message on Facebook at around 7:30 pm on Thursday, he said that his physical condition had worsened.
There were 44 ships in the flotilla called the ‘Global Sumud Flotilla’. Drik’s managing director and photographer Shahidul Alam sailed on a ship called ‘Consciousness’ in the flotilla. When the flotilla reached the area near Gaza at midnight on Wednesday, Bangladesh time, Israeli soldiers arrived on the ships and began to detain the rights activists carrying relief. The flotilla’s relief ships and the rights activists were taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod.
This evening, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said that all but one of the ships in the flotilla had been seized.
Shortly after, Shahidul Alam posted the video message on Facebook. He captioned the video, “The sea is very rough. I just threw up, now I’m lying down.”
In the video, Shahidul Alam said, “I don’t think it’s normal to go live right after vomiting. I’m lying down on the floor now. So I’m just turning the camera around. Let’s see if it works. I hope you can see it now.”
Shahidul Alam said, “The timing is quite appropriate. Because I just gave an interview to the BBC. During the interview or right after, the ship started rocking. At that time, I was feeling sick and was looking for a bag to throw up in. Luckily, I found a small bag just in time. It saved the floor from getting dirty. But yes, I’m fine.”
Shahidul Alam said that a doctor was taking care of him on the ship. He said, “I think someone has arranged my laptop and other equipment on the table. Everything is being put down on the floor so that it doesn’t fall. The sea is still very rough. There is still light outside. Hopefully, we will overcome this situation very soon. I am fine. It has to be said that this is a different experience.’
After this, Shahidul Alam uploaded another video on his Facebook account. Along with that video, he wrote, ‘People are asking how I am. Sorry, I can’t answer everyone one by one. Today I vomited and then fell, but it was nothing serious. There are 20 doctors and nurses on the ship, so in terms of medical care, we are probably the most well-cared for passengers. I am very happy to receive that care. If my niece Mauli had been there, she would have said I was becoming a drama queen. Another day closer to Gaza.’
