8 October 2025

Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann is gravely concerned about the detention of writer Naoise Dolan, one of several Irish citizens taking part in the Thousand Madleens flotilla. The flotilla was illegally intercepted last night and seized by armed Israeli forces in international waters.

The Irish Government and the Department of Foreign Affairs urgently need to act to ensure that Irish participants are not mistreated while in Israeli detention.

The flotilla seeks only to break the siege, deliver aid and to highlight the ongoing genocide in Gaza. These illegal acts against a non-violent civilian vessel carrying humanitarian aid and unarmed activists are unacceptable under international law.

Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann expresses its support for these aims. We call on the Irish government and the Irish embassy in Israel to protect Irish writer Naoise Dolan and all the Irish citizens that are illegally detained by Israel.

We reiterate our call for the protection of the lives and human rights of writers, journalists, and all innocent people affected by the ongoing genocide in Palestine.

And we again call for an unimpeded access to urgently needed humanitarian aid and the release of all the hostages.

Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann
Pádraig Hanratty and Liz McManus (Co-Chairs)