An Illinois woman attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to war-torn Gaza has been forcibly taken into custody by Israeli forces.
Jessica Clotfelter of Windsor, Illinois, has been forcibly taken into custody by the Israeli government. Jessica had taken to social media and reached out to many news reporters, as well as having her friends reach out to news reporters, warning them that she was about to be kidnapped from her ship. In one video you can see Jessica and others on her ship wearing flotation devices and then after Israeli forces spotlighted their flotilla, video shows absolutely not a soul left on board. She had nowhere to go.
Jessica, who is a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corp, was on one of the 50 ships that made up the Global Sumud Flotilla. Jessica is a Christian woman who felt honored and a calling to help others in need. Jessica's specific humanitarian ship was predominantly full of baby formula and food.
As the ships were drawing near to their final destination to deliver life saving aid to the residents of war-torn Gaza, they were intercepted and forcibly boarded by the Israeli Navy.
In a cell phone video captured as the soldiers boarded Jessica's ship, they can be heard cursing and ordering everyone on board to raise their hands. No one was armed on the ship. They were simply carrying food and emergency medical supplies. Jessica and the other humanitarians were immediately forced to throw their cellphones into the Mediterranean Sea. Through the chaos, Jessica and others remained calm and complied.
Jessica saw the Navy moving into take them into captivity so she pre-recorded a video and sent it to friends for them to share after she was kidnapped. The video is of her pleading with her fellow U.S citizens to reach out to your local legislators and plead that all of the kidnapped humanitarians be released quickly and safely.
Jessica very deeply appreciates everyone who takes the time to help free her and the other humanitarians she was working with. Her mother Shelly is a local teacher in Central Illinois and I know this means a lot to her too. Jessica has a lot of friends and family that just want to see her return home safely. Jessica's friend reached out to us the second she was kidnapped from the ship and I promised I would do everything I could and my followers would too. Again, this is NOT a political statement. This is simply trying to help bring a central Illinois woman, who served our country, back home to us.
Our thoughts and prayers remain with Jessica and all of the other humanitarians as well as all of their family members who are surely worried.
Below is a list of our local officials to politely contact and ask for a safe and timely return of Jessica back to Windsor, Illinois. These numbers were provided by her friends and family.
Senator Tammy Duckworth (a fellow veteran)- 1-202-224-2854 or 1-312-886-3506
Senator Dick Durbin- 1-202-224-2152
U.S. Representative Mary Miller- 1-202-225-5271 or 1-217-640-6210
Governor J.B. Pritzker- 1-217-782-6930
Again, this is in no way a political statement as we have not written anything about either country involved in this conflict. This is about Jessica and only Jessica. Jessica knows this is a controversial subject and she expressed on her social media (repeatedly) that God guided her to help others.
We are covering this story only because Jessica asked for her fellow Illinoisans to help her make it home safely and we agreed to help a fellow Illinois citizen, and Marine veteran.
One more photo below.
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