An Australian woman is one of thousands of people planning to sail on 150 ships to Gaza in the coming months, despite the dangers of the open sea and the risk of being detained by Israel, as over 100 activists were last year.
Juliet Lamont is departing for Sicily on Thursday afternoon, where she will join members of the Global Sumud Flotilla in trying to ship aid, medical supplies and baby formula to the war-torn Gaza Strip.
It will be her second voyage, and she’s hoping for it to be successful this time, but aware of the risk she will be arrested again and held in conditions described as akin to torture.
The group, which includes an Australian contingent, has made several attempts to enter the region, but has been intercepted and detained by Israeli authorities each time.
This time, Malaysia’s prime minister has said the country will directly support the flotilla, though did not give details of what this support would amount to.
Lamont was one of seven Australians held in an Israeli prison in October after being detained by Israeli authorities some 20 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza, when the fleet of 50 boats was stopped.
She said she has felt a mix of anger and “profound sadness” since her detention at what she perceives as a lack of government support for the flotilla or its Australian participants.
“It’s made me more steadfast and more determined,” she told SBS News, and shared her goal of breaking what she describes as Israel’s “siege”.
‘A fighting chance’
The Global Sumud Flotilla aims to deliver aid to Gaza and establish a “sustained civilian presence”, and in doing so break the Israeli blockade of the region’s coastline.
Israel controls Gaza’s airspace, territorial waters, and most land crossings, restricting freedom of movement in and out of the occupied Palestinian territories.
Juliet Lamont (centre) reunited with her daughters, Luca and Isla, after her imprisonment by Israel last year. Credit: Supplied
Israel says hundreds of trucks enter Gaza daily carrying food, medical supplies and shelter equipment. International aid organisations say the supplies are still insufficient.
Lamont said that the sheer size of this flotilla — three times that of their last attempt —could make it more difficult for authorities to intercept them.
“This time we have 150 boats and two of them are cargo ships that will take a thousand participants, each with doctors, engineers, teachers and care workers and a lot of aid,” she said.
“I think that we’re going to get really close. I think we’ve got a fighter’s chance of breaking the siege.”
(L-R) Australian activists Hamish Paterson, Juliet Lamont and Abubakir Rafiq alleged that they were refused medical treatment, medication and legal counsel while detained by Israeli forces. (AAP / Bianca De Marchi) Source: AAP / Bianca De Marchi / AAP
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has been contacted for comment.
When Australians were detained in October, DFAT said it had issued warnings to Australians not to attempt to breach the naval blockade because of the safety risks.
Preparing the boats for the voyage will take between two and three months, she estimated. Ships from Barcelona, Tunis, Crete and Sicily will meet up in the Mediterranean.
The sail to Gaza is about two to three weeks, depending on how far they get before being intercepted by Israel, she said.
“Who knows how long the prison term will be, but we are feeling really positive and really hopeful,” Lamont said.
The Israeli government has maintained that the naval blockade is necessary for security in the region as it prevents weapons smuggling into Gaza.
Israel has designated the maritime area around Gaza as an active combat zone and warned all vessels that attempting to enter the area is a violation of the blockade.
Allegations of torture
Australians who were detained after the last Global Sumud Flotilla in October alleged that during their imprisonment, the group was left without access to medication or food.
NSW Greens MPs called for an investigation into claims of torture and mistreatment of the Australians, after detained activist Surya McEwen claimed his arm had been dislocated after rough treatment by Israeli authorities.
Others have also alleged they experienced violence and mistreatment while detained, which Israel has denied.
Israel’s foreign ministry issued a statement, saying all participants’ legal rights had been upheld and the only violence involved an activist who bit a female medic at Israel’s Ketziot prison.
In a separate post on X it called allegations of abuse “brazen lies.”
Lamont claims Australians were the last nationality to receive consular assistance in Israel, and should she be detained again, she expects other governments — such as Italy and Spain — are more likely to advocate on their behalf.
She said there had been a “weaponisation” of pro-Palestinian humanitarians, and that the Australian government would feel the need to distance itself from members of the mission to deter future participation in flotillas.
DFAT has previously said it worked hard to support Australians who were detained in Israel in October.
When Lamont and others had been detained by Israeli authorities, foreign minister Penny Wong said she had concerns for all detained Australians, adding the federal government works “very hard” in its advocacy to “get the best outcome we can”.
