Gaza Humanitarian Flotilla Volunteer Describes Israeli Detention Process

TANGERANG — An Indonesian citizen named Ronggo, a volunteer on a Gaza humanitarian flotilla, described his experience during the interception and detention by Israeli forces. Ronggo was part of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) 2.0 convoy, which was intercepted by the Israeli military on 19 May 2026. ‘From the interception on 19 May, military ships approached our vessel, followed by two armed speedboats. Our ship was intercepted, hijacked, and damaged,’ Ronggo said during an interview at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, on Sunday. He explained that humanitarian volunteers from various countries were forced onto military vessels where they were detained. ‘We were punched and kicked on the military vessel. Then we were transferred to Ashdod Port for immigration procedures, where we were beaten again,’ he added. Ronggo stated that while at Ashdod Port, all hostages were moved to a detention facility in the Negev region of southern Israel before being released and flown via Ben Gurion Airport to Jordan. The violent treatment, he added, was experienced by almost all volunteers and activists from the Gaza Freedom Flotilla of various nationalities. ‘Torture and violence were inflicted by Israeli soldiers. Nearly 400 people faced the same treatment,’ he said. He said the volunteers’ experiences paled in comparison to the suffering of Palestinians, particularly detainees. ‘What I and my friends experienced—the violence and sorrow inflicted by Israeli forces—is nothing compared to what thousands of Palestinian detainees, many of them children, mothers, and pregnant women, endure,’ he said. Thoudy also urged the international community to continue supporting Palestinian independence. ‘I hope all people worldwide keep supporting and raising the issue of Palestine, as this can push for Palestine’s continued freedom,’ he said. Nine Indonesian citizens who were detained by Israeli forces returned to the country via Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (Soetta) in Tangerang, Banten, on Sunday evening. The return of the nine WNI who joined the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) 2.0 followed a long journey after escaping Israeli authorities’ detention. They were evacuated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through Indonesian diplomatic missions as part of citizen protection measures. During their journey, the WNI were flown on Emirates flights from Istanbul to Dubai at 19:35 on Saturday (23 May), then from Dubai to Jakarta at 04:10 on Sunday (24 May), arriving in Indonesia at 15:30 WIB.