Malcolm Ducker, a British former RAF pilot, set sail earlier this month towards the Gaza Strip in the hopes of reaching the devastated enclave in an act of solidarity with the long-suffering people there.
Ducker, who departed from Sicily, was among the hundreds of activists who had taken part in the Global Sumud Flotilla initiative this spring, sailing towards Gaza with the aim of delivering symbolic aid and breaking Israel’s suffocating siege.
The Global Sumud Flotilla’s 2026 mission was called the "largest coordinated civilian maritime effort for Palestine to date," with over 70 boats and more than a thousand activists from over 70 countries taking part.
However, after setting sail from Barcelona and other ports, activists found themselves at the mercy of Israeli naval forces, who intercepted their boats in international waters and then detained them for days on Israeli territory.
Ducker was one of them. He, along with other activists from the Al-Tira ship (also called the Diablo ) was intercepted 300 nautical miles off Gaza’s shores, not far from Cypriot waters, he told The New Arab. "The Israeli naval officers came onto their boat and pointed laser guns at us. They ordered the crew to go to the front of the boat and forced our hands above our heads before instructing us to continue sailing towards Cretan waters."
Israeli officers also forced them to remove most of their clothing, allowing them to only keep on a simple top and pants despite the cold conditions at sea. Ducker was wearing a Palestine-themed t-shirt and was ordered to change it.
Israeli commandos also deliberately "smashed the sails and damaged the boat so it couldn’t be used again," the ex-RAF pilot told TNA .
After arriving in Israel, "we had our hands zip-tied, with our heads forced to the floor. We were then dragged onto the prison yard.
"Most people previously intercepted were already there," he added. During his first night of detention , Ducker spent the night in a portaloo as it was the only way to keep out the cold.
The detained activists weren’t provided with much.
"Just a bit of water and some bread, which was largely inedible. I used it as a cushion whenever I managed to get into the containers to rest," he said.
Ducker, in his 70s, said their treatment at the hands of the Israelis was "demeaning," and forces went out of their way to try to make them look "pathetic".
"They filmed us constantly, photographing us as we kneeled on the floor. They even photographed us naked, forced to take our clothes off." "If you didn’t comply, they would try to cause you pain," he added.
Ducker said soldiers humiliated them by taking videos of their abuse .
"It's totally sadistic. I asked one of the officers, "Why are you doing this? He replied to Ducker: "To f*** you, and to f*** Palestine."
Ducker went on to describe the ordeal another detainee was subjected to. He said soldiers hit ethnic Maori New Zealander Hahona Ormsby in the face, and tasered him twice.
They also issued multiple threats to him. "I’m gonna make your life a living hell," Ducker overheard one officer saying. Ormsby was even knocked unconscious during the ordeal.
The activists’ detention from their vessels in international waters was condemned worldwide as a kidnapping and act of piracy, as well as a violation of international law. Ducker shared a similar sentiment.
"Detention time was a clear act of privacy in international waters, and as we know, Israel does not take notice of international law or anyone else’s law except their own."
When brought to Israel, the activist said Israeli forces ask them to sign a form agreeing that they entered an Israeli military zone "illegally," much to Ducker’s bewilderment, as it was the forces who brought the crew against their will to the country.
Ducker’s detention process consisted of two days on a prison ship before landing in Ashdod, and then spending the next 36 hours in Ketziot Prison, before being deported to Turkey.
Ducker then requested to be flown to Marrakech, Morocco, where some of his family reside. The Global Sumud Flotilla paid for his flight. EU, UK governments 'hypocrites' The activist slammed the UK government’s lack of action as several British activists were detained, saying they were complicit in the Israeli attack.
Ducker revealed that the UK government had a meeting with other European countries, particularly those in the Mediterranean, essentially permitting Israel to act as it pleases in international waters with the activists. He said the meeting demonstrated their lack of "care" about piracy and Israel’s "criminal acts," basically giving the Israelis the run of the Mediterranean, but he singled out Spain as the only country from the continent that has stood against Israel and repeatedly called out its atrocities.
When their vessels were intercepted, the RAF pilot-turned-activist told The New Arab that crew members sent out SOS signals.
"Nothing was said, nothing on radio communication, and search and rescue authorities did absolutely nothing."
Ducker also called out European governments who criticised the activists’ detention only after far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video of himself on 20 May taunting them, as they lay face down on the floor.
He said those governments only said something because of the activists’ "white privilege," and called them "hypocrites" for "allowing this kind of treatment to happen to the Palestinians for years".
He also criticised the UK government’s inaction after he was deported from Israel, saying that UK consular staff offered nothing but their personal phones to call family after the activists' landed in Turkey. They did nothing "as expected," he said. Last time Ducker was detained as part of the Gaza flotilla in October 2025, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer specifically said that dealing with detained flotilla activists was "up to the Israelis".
However, Ducker praised Green Party leader Zack Polanski for being the "only politician in the UK" who can challenge Israel.
"He seems very eloquent, he seems interested in justice, which would be a big change. [The government has been] trying to shut down free speech and get rid of jury trials. He would be the one who insists that it came back." 'I was ashamed by the actions of the RAF' Malcolm Ducker, from Kent, is an RAF veteran, having served as a pilot for years. It was upon learning that the RAF was complicit in Israel's genocidal war on Gaza that prompted him to do something for the Palestinian people.
In August last year, the RAF was revealed to have carried out over 600 missions over Gaza to collect intelligence in order to share it with the Israeli government. Ducker said he was "appalled and ashamed" by these "acts of treachery".
He also said that if he had been a serving pilot at the time of these actions, he would have "hoped to have had the courage and basic decency to review orders like that, which directly assist in the murder of any human beings, whether they are Palestinians, British, anyone."
Following this disillusionment, Ducker saw the opportunity to take part in the Gaza Sumud Flotilla for the first time in October last year, and "jumped" at the chance.Despite "not being skilled," in his own words, Ducker had been sailing for a long time and wanted to offer his services to take part in the flotilla.
Ducker, with his crew, attempted to reach the shores of Gaza in defiance of Israel’s impunity in international waters and muzzling of pro-Palestinian activism.
The former RAF veteran was detained and subjected to a harrowing ordeal while in detention, where he was denied medication.
But last year’s experience didn’t stop him from sailing again in May . 'It’s up to the common people to act' "We do this because our governments don’t," Ducker said of the reason behind his activism for Gaza, stressing that the flotilla is "needed" because "there’s no food, and there's a siege" on the enclave.
The Palestinian enclave has been devastated by Israel’s relentless strikes since October 2023. During the war, Israel imposed a siege on the territory, barring the entry of food, water, and other necessities - effectively starving residents.
Numerous NGOs and experts accused Israel of carrying out a deliberate starvation campaign in Gaza. While official numbers have been difficult to determine, rights groups estimate that hundreds, if not thousands, of Palestinians have died due to starvation and malnutrition .
Over 70,000 people have died as a result of Israeli airstrikes.
Even though a ceasefire was agreed upon in October last year stipulating the entry of sufficient humanitarian relief trucks, those numbers have been insufficient, leaving Palestinians with less food than anticipated, and soaring prices. Hundreds of people have also been killed in deadly Israeli strikes which have continued despite the truce.
"No government does anything to force Israel’s hand to open anything. It’s up to the common people to act."
"We want to open the world’s eyes to see what is really happening. It works in that respect. It tells them it’s about the Palestinians; they’re so stoic, strong, they’re the best of humanity. And if we don’t support them, we’re on the slippery slope to being controlled by these mega corps, Trump, and Starmer."
"It’s the power of the people that’s gonna change things, and that’s how we’re going to change things," he added.
Ducker said he would undoubtedly sail again as part of another flotilla if given the chance.
"Would I do it again? Yes, I would. I certainly will continue to work for the Palestinian cause."
"We will continue until our governments stop supporting Israel’s terrorism."