Screen capture from Instagram/@jasmeda
Rep. Rick Larsen is calling for the immediate release of Jasmine Ikeda, an Orcas Island resident detained by Israeli authorities during the interception of a Gaza-bound flotilla in international waters on Oct. 1.
Ikeda was among approximately 450 international activists—including lawmakers, humanitarian workers, and prominent public figures—participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla, a maritime effort aiming to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip and deliver symbolic humanitarian aid. Israeli naval forces stopped the flotilla late Wednesday, drawing widespread condemnation and sparking global protests.
In a video, Ikeda said, “I’ve been kidnapped against my will by the IOF (Israeli Occupation Forces) for attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. Please demand of the U.S government to stop the genocide, to stop supplying Israel with funds and weapons of mass destruction. And please demand the release and safety of me and my comrades.”
“I have been in touch with Jasmine’s family, and I am working with them to advocate for her immediate release,” Larsen said in a statement. “With the permission of Jasmine’s family, I can share that I have reached out to the State Department and requested the U.S. Embassy in Israel provide full and timely consular services to her. I am monitoring the situation closely to ensure Jasmine is provided with humane treatment while in custody, legal due process, and is released immediately from Israeli detention.”
Israeli police shared a video showing some 600 officers working on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, considered the holiest in the Jewish calendar, to register the detained activists ahead of their expected deportations.
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