Bangladeshi photographer and writer Shahidul Alam has claimed in a Facebook video that he was intercepted and abducted by Israeli forces while traveling on an international aid flotilla bound for Gaza.
The video, posted at approximately 10:20am Bangladesh time on Tuesday, shows Shahidul Alam identifying himself and stating: “I am Shahidul Alam, a photographer and writer from Bangladesh. If you are seeing this video, we have been intercepted at sea and I have been kidnapped by the Occupation Forces of Israel, the country conducting genocide in Gaza with active collaboration and assistance of the USA and other western powers.”
Shahidul Alam also issued a call to his “comrades and friends” to continue their efforts for the liberation of Palestine. The post did not specify the exact time or location of the interception, nor did it provide details about his current condition or whereabouts.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition confirmed that the boats in question were carrying essential medical and nutritional supplies valued at over $110,000. The aid was intended for Gaza’s hospitals, which are facing severe shortages amid months of siege and bombardment.
In recent months, Israel has repeatedly blocked aid flotillas from reaching Gaza, where, according to the United Nations, famine conditions have already taken hold. These civilian-led flotillas have drawn global attention as they attempt to break the Israeli blockade that has been in place since 2007.
Shahidul Alam, founder of the Drik photo agency and a longtime human rights activist, had joined the Media Flotilla earlier this week. His participation was part of an international mission to challenge both the physical blockade and what organizers describe as a deliberate information blackout around Gaza.
No official statement has yet been issued by the Israeli military regarding the reported interception.
