Corkman's daughters concerned for father on Gaza flotilla detained by Israel

A Cobh man is among the Irish activists detained by Israel after a flotilla was intercepted while trying to reach Gaza, and his daughters have expressed concern that he may be on hunger strike while in custody.

A video shared to social media on behalf of Paddy O’Donovan, aged 61, shows him saying: “If you are watching this video, I’m after being kidnapped by the IOF, Israeli Occupation Forces, on our way to bring aid to Gaza.”

In the video, where he is seen holding up his Irish passport, he asked people to “put pressure” on their local representatives and TDs on his behalf.

Cork East TD Liam Quaide wrote to the Tánaiste on Wednesday on behalf of the volunteers on the Global Sumud Flotilla, expressing “grave concern” on the reports that activists had been “detained and taken to Israel”, saying that Irish citizens onboard include a local constituent of his, Paddy O’Donovan from Cobh.

“It is vital now that the Government applies maximum diplomatic pressure to ensure the safe release of all the volunteers, including our Irish citizens, to grant them consular access and any medical aid they need,” he said.

He called for the Government to end the use of Irish airports and airspace for the transit of arms to Israel, enact the Occupied Territories Bill, push for the immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, and demand an urgent international intervention to ensure unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza.

Mr Quaide added: “When the history books are being written on the Gaza genocide, the flotilla volunteers will be looked back upon as heroes, at a time when those with the most power in Europe limited themselves to rhetoric of concern and condemnation, but cowered from taking meaningful action.”

Mr O’Donovan’s daughters Robyn and Rebecca told The Neil Prendeville Show on Cork’s RedFM that they have heard some of those detained have gone on hunger strike.

Robyn said: “We’re trying to piece it all together.

“So far we know, they’re on an indefinite hunger strike, and that they’re being transferred to a prison 30 miles off Egypt.”

She added: “If you know my dad, my dad would definitely be included in that, he’s going to do everything in his power to make a difference.

“My heart breaks, but I’m so proud of him, we are all so proud of him — not once for any second did he think about backing out or coming home, he is so set on making a difference.”

Robyn added that they have not heard from him since Tuesday evening, and he has been gone for about five weeks now.

“It feels like a lifetime for us, so I can only imagine being on the boats for that long,” she said.

Rebecca added: “We’re worried sick, we want our dad home.”

But she added that they were “beyond proud” of him.

“What he’s doing is amazing.

“There’s nothing that he won’t do to help someone, he’s so brave.

“They knew the blockade was waiting for them, they knew the Israelis were going to do something.”

She said it would be a relief if they were taken to court, asked to sign something admitting wrongdoing and deported back to Ireland, but said: “I personally don’t think they will sign these pieces of paper to say they’re terrorists and what they’ve done is wrong.”