Gaza flotilla activist reveals 'horrendous' ordeal

A Scottish activist who was caught up in the storming of the Gaza aid flotilla today spoke of her “horrendous” ordeal.

Theresa McDermott, from Edinburgh, was on the Challenger, one of the boats in the convoy which was taken over by commandos in a deadly attack early on Monday.

Ms McDermott, 43, arrived home in the Scottish capital yesterday after being held in an Israeli prison.

Israeli officials said nine people died in Monday’s events, but some reports put the death toll as high as 19.

Ms McDermott last night told the Scottish Sun: “It was needless brutality. We had to listen as they fired round after round of ammo, killing innocent people.

“We were telling them they had an obligation to the people of Gaza to let us in. But they wouldn’t listen and I even had a cocked gun pointed to my head.”

But she said the experience would not deter her from returning.

She told the newspaper: “It was a horrendous four days. But it just makes me more determined to get back out there.”

Carl Abernethy, who co-ordinates Free Gaza Scotland along with Ms McDermott, spoke to her on the phone yesterday.

He said today: “Considering what she has been through she sounded great. She said she was knackered but it was amazing how good she sounded.

“But she is a very very strong and dedicated individual and she was mentally prepared for it to an extent.”

British Foreign Secretary William Hague has confirmed that a total of 34 of the activists on the aid flotilla were British.

Today one of the last ships on a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza is set to be intercepted by the Israeli navy.

Irish-Malaysian ship MV Rachel Corrie, captained by Eric Harcus from Orkney, was attempting to reach the blockaded territory despite the deadly commando attack by Israeli troops earlier in the week.