Armed Israeli soldier allegedly aimed gun at infant Turkish child.
In the wake of the Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmara, a vessel carrying humanitarian aid destined for Gaza, claims emerged that one Israeli commando brandished a firearm at a baby aboard the ship. The infant, Turker Kaan Cetin, son of the ship's senior engineer Ekrem Cetin, was threatened apparently to persuade the ship's captain to cease his voyage.
As per reports by Britain's Guardian newspaper, a woman named Sabrina, an Algerian national, leveled the accusation about the baby being targeted in front of his Turkish parents. The Cetins, who refused to part ways with their child during the journey from Istanbul, were the first Turkish nationals to be released by Israel following the raid.
Speaking at Istanbul airport with her son, Nilufer Cetin recounted the horrific events transpiring on board the Mavi Marmara. She revealed that Israeli commandos had created a "pool of blood" on the ship and that she stood close to them as they unleashed gunfire.
When asked about her decision to bring a baby on such a perilous journey, Ms. Cetin responded, "Given the potential dangers, we knew there was a possibility we would be putting our child at risk. However, there are countless young children in Gaza who need our help and love. I wanted to visit them, play with them, and assure them that they are not alone. We stand with them." If another flotilla embarks for Gaza, Ms. Cetin declared that she would be more than eager to join.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett, in a separate development, asserted that advancements in cyber technology could potentially replace the need for commandos in future military operations[2]. Given the ongoing controversy over the Mavi Marmara incident, such technological advancements might play a pivotal role in shaping future engagements.
[1] Gaza flotilla incident (Wikipedia) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_flotilla_raid[2] Israel's Bennett says cyber tech could replace commandos (Reuters) - https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israels-bennett-says-cyber-tech-could-replace-commandos-2021-08-31/
- An eyewitness, Nilufer Cetin, a Turkish national who was on board the Mavi Marmara, recounted the Israeli commandos creating a "pool of blood" on the ship and unleashing gunfire.
- Sabrina, an Algerian national, alleged that a baby on the Mavi Marmara was threatened by an Israeli commando during the raid with a firearm.
- The Cetin family, who refused to part ways with their child during the journey from Istanbul, were the first Turkish nationals to be released by Israel following the Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmara, a vessel carrying humanitarian aid destined for Gaza.
- The news of the Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmara and the allegation of a baby being targeted on the ship has been covered extensively in general news and war-and-conflicts sections.
- If another flotilla embarks for Gaza, Nilufer Cetin, mother of the baby threatened on the Mavi Marmara, declared that she would be more than eager to join.
- Given the ongoing controversy over the Mavi Marmara incident, Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett's assertion that advancements in cyber technology could potentially replace the need for commandos in future military operations might become a talking point in discussions about politics, crime-and-justice, and humanitarian issues.
- Despite the potential dangers, Ms. Cetin, who wanted to visit and play with children in Gaza, saw a need for continued assistance in the region and expressed a desire to join any future flotillas to Gaza.
