Lithuanian activist sailing to Gaza potentially detained, diplomats ‘monitoring situation’

A Lithuanian activist has possibly been detained by Israel while attempting to sail humanitarian aid to Gaza as part of an international flotilla.

Aleksandras Chichlovskis, originally from Vilnius and now living in the Netherlands, was on board the vessel Catalina. He posted a final video message on Wednesday night, saying “we will meet in Lithuania”.

“It’s now 20:15. We are surrounded by Israeli warships and the interception is about to begin,” he said in the video posted by the Gyvenimas Per Brangus website.

Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry said it was “monitoring the situation”, adding it was ready “to take diplomatic and/or consular action”, the ministry told LRT.lt in a written statement.

“The Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Israel maintained regular contact with him, informed him of the possible risks and the limited means of assistance, and is coordinating actions with other EU diplomatic missions in Israel and with Israel’s foreign ministry,” the ministry added.

About two dozen protesters call on Foreign Ministry to protect Gaza humanitarian flotilla | J. Stacevičius / LRT

The Catalina is part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a convoy of around 50 small boats which set sail from Barcelona on August 31 aiming to deliver food, water, and medicine to the Gaza Strip.

Organisers say the flotilla is intended to break Israel’s 18-year naval blockade of the territory.

Israel has said aid could be delivered via its own ports but warned against attempts to breach the blockade. Activists argue the blockade itself is the problem, with the UN previously confirming famine conditions in Gaza.

On Wednesday, Israel’s foreign ministry declared on X that the “Hamas-Sumud provocation is over”, adding that activists would be deported to Europe.

Chichlovskis said he was the only participant from Lithuania among delegations representing 44 countries.

“I understand that Lithuania is extremely busy with its own security because of Russia. But that does not mean Gaza should be ignored,” he told LRT.lt last month.

A petition with nearly 1,500 signatures has urged Lithuanian leaders to “fulfil their constitutional duty to protect every Lithuanian citizen” and to press Israel to comply with international law.