Mother of Corkman on Gaza flotilla says: 'We have 100% pride in him'

The mother of a Crosshaven man, who is among those detained by Israel aboard an aid flotilla destined for Gaza, has said her son "couldn't sleep with the thought of children starving" in Palestine.

26-year-old Joshua St Leger is among at least six Irish citizens travelling as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla that was intercepted by Israeli forces on Monday.

Speaking to The Echo, Joshua’s mother, Linda St Leger, said she and Joshua’s father Tony “couldn’t be any more proud of him”.

“We were watching the live stream, and we could see all the people on the boat sat down with their hands up,” said Linda.

“It was scary to look at, but there was zero resistance from the guys on board.

“They [Israeli forces] threw the [passengers] phones overboard, so we don’t have contact anymore."

Joshua, who is on the same flotilla as President Catherine Connolly’s sister, Margaret Connolly, departed from Barcelona aboard the ‘Isabella’ on April 15 with the intention of delivering humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine.

The boat carrying the Corkman is among 10 out of a 60-vessel flotilla that was intercepted.

Linda said while they have since lost contact with their son, she had been communicating with him earlier. "He did text me as the boats were being intercepted, and said that he will be okay, and not to worry about him," she told The Echo.

“We have been on the phone all morning trying to reach out to people and thinking about what he must be going through," she added.

“I’m hoping they will be released as soon as possible. He has always been laid back, he accepts everything as it is, but he said the thought of people suffering affected him – he said he couldn’t sleep with the thought of children starving.

“We have 100% pride in him for following through with this – he could have come home when the first abduction happened [at the end of April] but he didn’t.” 

The Global Sumud Flotilla group said the interception of the ‘Isabella’ happened approximately 70 nautical miles off Cyrpus.

Shortly after the vessels were intercepted, a pre-recorded video of Mr St Leger was shared on social media, where he called for his “immediate and safe release”.

“If you're watching this video, I have been illegally detained and kidnapped by Israeli occupation forces in international waters, while attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the shores of Gaza,” said Joshua.

“I would ask that you call on your local government and TDs for the immediate and safe release of myself, as well as the other volunteers who have been kidnapped."