Photographer and Drik Managing Director, Shahidul Alam, has reported that the vessel carrying him and others toward Gaza was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters. He stated that he has been taken into custody.

In a video message shared on Facebook around 10:15 a.m. Bangladesh time on Wednesday, Shahidul Alam said:

“I am Shahidul Alam, a photographer and writer from Bangladesh. If you are seeing this video, please know that we have been stopped at sea, and I have been captured by Israeli occupying forces. These are the same forces that, with active backing from the United States and other Western powers, continue acts of aggression in Gaza. I urge all my comrades and friends to continue the fight for Palestine’s freedom.”

The ship Conscience, on which Alam was traveling, is part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) and Thousand Madelines to Gaza (TMTG) initiatives—international efforts carrying journalists and medical workers to challenge Israel’s blockade and advocate for press freedom.

On Tuesday, Alam had posted on Facebook that they were expected to reach the “red zone” by early Wednesday—a term he used to describe the high-risk area where Israeli forces recently detained activists from another flotilla named Sumud.

The Sumud Flotilla had also attempted to breach Israel’s blockade to reach Gaza.

Over the past two years of conflict, Israel has largely barred foreign journalists from entering Gaza. Many Palestinian reporters have also been targeted. Since October 2023, over 270 journalists have reportedly been killed in Gaza, while others remain detained in Israeli prisons.