Irish president’s sister is among activists aboard the intercepted Gaza flotilla

The sister of Ireland’s President Catherine Connolly is among eight Irish citizens intercepted by Israel on Gaza-bound aid flotilla ships, organizers say.

Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla earlier today after it sailed from Turkey last week, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denouncing the mission as a “malicious scheme” intended to support the Hamas terror group.

“The Israeli occupation has again illegally and violently intercepted our international fleet of humanitarian vessels and abducted our volunteers.”

Margaret Connolly, an Irish doctor and President Connolly’s sister, is among those “illegally kidnapped” by Israel, organizers say in a statement sent to AFP.

“Eight Irish people have been illegally detained in this operation,” it says.

President Connolly, on a planned trip to the UK, tells reporters after talks in London with King Charles III that the news was “upsetting.”

“I’m very worried about her, and I’m also very concerned about her colleagues on board,” she says, adding that she did not have any details.

Videos posted by the organizers on social media showed Connolly and five others, which appear to have been recorded in advance of their detention.

In her video, Connolly says: “If you are watching this video, it means I have been kidnapped from my boat in the flotilla by the Israeli occupying forces.”

“Her participation in this flotilla was her own decision and not related to President Connolly,” organizers say.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.