In her video, Dr Connolly said: ‘If you are watching this video,it means I have been kidnapped from my boat in the flotilla by the Israeli occupying forces,and I’m now being held illegally in an Israeli prison.’

She added: ‘This is the largest one to date,and now we sail for Gaza to open a humanitarian pathway to bring much-needed aid and medical supplies to the people of Gaza.

‘I feel utterly compelled – as a mother,a doctor,and as a human being – to help in this flotilla. I wish to appeal to the Irish government to enact the Occupied Territories Bill without fail.

‘The cause of Palestine is the moral compass of our time,it is what makes us human. Their humanity is our humanity.’

Karen Moynihan,Irish lead for the Global Sumud Flotilla,told the Press Association that six Irish citizens had been ‘kidnapped’.

She added: ’15 Irish people – along with hundreds of other people – completely legally sailing on a humanitarian mission,have been intercepted and abused again by Israel.

The sister of Ireland’s President is being held by Israeli forces (Picture: Global Sumud Flotilla)

‘Currently,over the past seven months,33 Irish citizens have been kidnapped by Israel,and our government is considering whether they’re even going to sanction Israel – it is absolutely horrific,and the government needs to be called out fully on its complicity in genocide,and there is no other way to put it.’

A spokesperson for the flotilla said there is no legal basis for the arrest of participants trying to deliver aid.

The Department of Foreign Affairs in Ireland said officials ‘are actively monitoring the situation regarding the Global Sumud Flotilla’ and are engaging with the relevant authorities.

Meanwhile,the Israeli Foreign Ministry,on X,described the flotilla as a ‘provocation and a search for publicity’ and claimed there was no aid on board.

It added: ‘The purpose of this provocation is to serve Hamas,to divert attention from Hamas’s refusal to disarm,and to obstruct progress on President Trump’s peace plan.’

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