Tensions Rise as Israel Intercepts Gaza-Bound Aid Ships and Activists
Chris Smalls, Staten Island labor leader and former Amazon Labor Union president, was reportedly detained and assaulted by Israeli forces while aboard a Gaza-bound aid ship, the Handala, which was intercepted in international waters by the Israeli Defense Force. The ship was attempting to deliver aid to Palestinian refugees, but Israel claimed it was preventing illegal entry into Gaza. Smalls was released and is reportedly in good spirits, with calls from the labor community for his and other activists' immediate release.