A Dundee man who had been missing since Israeli commandos intercepted a flotilla of aid ships in the Gaza strip has been transferred to a prison in the Negev desert.
Ali El-Awaisi (21) was on the Mavi Marmara, one of the ships boarded by the troops in the early hours of Monday, and his family had feared he was among those killed or injured during the incident.
However, his brother Khalid (30) said the Foreign Office has confirmed Ali is one of the prisoners and it is understood he is uninjured.
Despite his joy at hearing of his brother’s safety and an end to a three-day ordeal of communication blackout, Khalid was still furious that Ali had not been released.
He said, “Ali is a prisoner in the Negev desert, together with all the other British and other passengers.
“They have all been taken to this prison as far as I’m aware and Ali is not injured from the lists they have.
“The woman from the Foreign Office said once the Israelis finish with them they will deport them, but finished what? They have already interrogated them.”
Khalid added that the spokeswoman had said the British prisoners’ safety was the main concern now and dignitaries would be assessing the situation.
Read more on this story in tomorrow’s Courier.