--- title: "Six South Africans now in Israeli custody after being abducted off humanitarian flotilla" description: "Activist Carrie Shelver has joined South Africans Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, Zukiswa Wanner, Reaaz Moolla, Zaheera Soomar and Dr Fatima Hendricks under Israeli detention." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "UPDATE" author: "Mel Frykberg" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/mel-frykberg/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-03-six-south-africans-now-in-israeli-custody-after-being-abducted-off-humanitarian-flotilla/" published: "2025-10-03T11:58:48" updated: "2025-10-03T15:49:18" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 357 --- # Six South Africans now in Israeli custody after being abducted off humanitarian flotilla > Activist Carrie Shelver has joined South Africans Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, Zukiswa Wanner, Reaaz Moolla, Zaheera Soomar and Dr Fatima Hendricks under Israeli detention. By Mel Frykberg · Published 3 October 2025, 13:58 SAST · Updated 3 October 2025, 17:49 SAST ## Key points - Six South Africans — including the grandson of Nelson Mandela — have been detained by Israeli forces while attempting to break the Gaza blockade. - Six South Africans, including activist Carrie Shelver, have been abducted by Israeli forces while attempting to break the Gaza blockade via an international flotilla. - Palestinian lawyer Diana Buttu condemned the interception as a violation of international law, emphasising the ships were in international waters. - Global outrage is mounting, with several foreign governments demanding explanations from Israel and protests expected in multiple countries, including South Africa. - Israeli security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir labeled the detainees as "terrorists," while rights group Adala reported they are being denied due process in Ketziot prison. ## Content The number of South Africans abducted by Israeli forces, as they sailed on an international flotilla to break Israel’s crippling siege on Gaza, has risen to six. Late on Thursday, 2 October 2025, it was confirmed that activist Carrie Shelver from the Eastern Cape and Johannesburg and currently living in Switzerland, was also aboard one of the Flotilla boats and taken into Israeli detention. [Media](https://www.youtube.com/embed/shorts?rel=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za) Diana Buttu, a Palestinian human rights lawyer, said Israel’s flotilla interception also amounted to a [clear violation of international law](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/9/2/live-geta-thunberg-once-more-on-board-sumud-flotilla-sailing-for-gaza). “It’s important to keep in mind that all of these ships were in international waters,” she said. **Read more:**[Flotilla SOS — ‘if you are reading this, we have been illegally seized by the Israeli military’](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-02-flotilla-sos-if-you-are-reading-this-we-have-been-illegally-seized-by-the-israeli-military/) A number of [foreign governments](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/2/how-the-world-is-responding-to-israels-interception-of-the-gaza-flotilla) have lashed out at Israel’s detention of the activists and called in Israeli diplomats to express their outrage and demand explanations. More protests and strikes in international capitals, including South Africa, were expected on Friday. ![People shout 'general strike, let's block everything' as they take part in a demonstration in support of the Palestinian people and the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) in Rome, Italy, 01 October 2025. The Global Sumud Flotilla, an international maritime initiative that began sailing in August 2025 en route to the Gaza Strip, aims to break the Israeli blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. (Photo: EPA / ALESSANDRO DI MEO)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/ZLnpHgp4PMI0372LTxcsXDSffLM=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/13392547.jpg) *People shout 'general strike, let's block everything' as they take part in a demonstration in support of the Palestinian people and the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) in Rome, Italy, 01 October 2025. (Photo: EPA / ALESSANDRO DI MEO)* Israel’s security minister, [Itamar Ben-Gvir](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itamar_Ben-Gvir), who has eight convictions for racism and for supporting the terrorist organisation [Kach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kach), said that those arrested would be treated as “terrorists”. Palestinian security prisoners’ conditions under Ben-Gvir’s ministry are on record for harsh and [inhumane conditions](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2yylgze4ro). The activists are reportedly being held in [Ketziot prison](https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/welcome-hell-israeli-prison-system-network-torture-camps-enarhe#:~:text=Their%20testimonies%20uncover%20a%20systemic,in%20fact%20as%20torture%20camps.) in the Negev. Israeli rights group Adala warned that the flotilla detainees were being [denied due process](https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israel-holds-deportation-hearings-for-activists-detained-from-gaza-aid-flotilla-legal-center/3705941). **Read more:**[Ramaphosa demands Israel free South African activists seized on Gaza flotilla](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-03-ramaphosa-demands-israel-free-south-african-activists-seized-on-gaza-flotilla/?dm_source=dm_block_list&dm_medium=card_link&dm_campaign=main) Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela, was arrested by Israeli special forces after the boat he was on, part of the Gaza Sumud Flotilla (GSF) humanitarian fleet trying to break Israel’s crippling siege on Gaza, was intercepted by the Israeli navy overnight Wednesday/Thursday. Four other South Africans, Zukiswa Wanner, Reaaz Moolla , Zaheera Soomar and Dr Fatima Hendricks were also abducted off their boats. **DM** [Media on Daily Maverick: "Cost of living"](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-03-six-south-africans-now-in-israeli-custody-after-being-abducted-off-humanitarian-flotilla/)