Summary:
Reporters for The Real News Network say that vessels and volunteers from the Global Sumud Flotilla were intercepted and detained by Israeli authorities, triggering international protests from cities including Buenos Aires and Barcelona and a one-day general strike in Italy. A separate, smaller group sailing with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition is continuing toward Gaza. On Oct. 4, 2025, TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez interviewed Mskwaasin Agnew, a Cree and Dene healthcare worker from Salt River First Nation, who is on board the ship Conscience with the Freedom Flotilla.
Guest profile:
– Mskwaasin Agnew – Cree and Dene from Salt River First Nation, raised in Toronto. She works as a first responder for people who use drugs and practices Indigenous harm reduction. She is also an organizer, land defender, and involved in Palestinian-First Nations solidarity efforts.
Key points from the interview (paraphrased):
– According to the program, all vessels and volunteers associated with the Global Sumud Flotilla were intercepted and detained by Israeli authorities, prompting global demonstrations and solidarity actions.
– The Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s ship Conscience was en route in the Mediterranean, a few days from its destination and approaching what participants described as a high-risk zone.
– Agnew described the flotilla’s mission as a humanitarian effort justified under international law to deliver aid to Gaza. She said the flotilla’s members include healthcare workers and journalists with on-the-ground experience in Gaza.
– The interview discussed severe damage to Gaza’s health infrastructure and widespread civilian suffering. Agnew said hospitals and temporary treatment sites there have been repeatedly targeted, leaving many patients without adequate care. She noted that medics aboard the Conscience planned to remain in Gaza if they succeeded in landing.
– Speaking from an Indigenous perspective, Agnew drew parallels between settler colonialism in Turtle Island (North America) and the situation in Palestine. She cited historical and ongoing harms faced by Indigenous peoples and framed her participation as an act of global Indigenous solidarity.
– Agnew urged supporters to press their elected officials to impose sanctions, including a two-way arms embargo on Israel, rather than limiting advocacy to letters and petitions. She encouraged mass public actions such as protests and direct actions to increase pressure.
Additional resources mentioned:
– Freedom Flotilla Coalition – link pages and Instagram profile (as referenced in the broadcast).
– Related TRNN reports linked in the original broadcast included coverage of U.S. veterans on the Global Sumud Flotilla and interviews with participants before interceptions.
Production credits and transcript note:
– Studio production and post-production: Maximillian Alvarez, David Hebden.
– The broadcast included a recorded interview and a transcript labeled as a rushed version that may contain errors; a proofread transcript was to be made available later.
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