HANOI – Ms Tieu Nguyen Bao Ngoc is the first Vietnamese to join the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), an international movement to break Israel’s siege on the Gaza Strip and deliver aid to Palestinians there.

However, the 28-year-old activist is now believed to be among those detained by the Israeli military on May 18, when its forces intercepted 41 boats in the flotilla off Cyprus.

Her detention may have put the Vietnamese government in an uneasy position, as Hanoi tries to maintain its solidarity with Palestine, but also warm ties with Israel.

“If you’re watching this, it means I have been kidnapped and taken to Israel against my will by the Israeli occupying forces while on a non-violent humanitarian mission delivering aid and trying to break the siege of Gaza,” said a black-clad young woman, who identified herself as Ms Bao Ngoc, in a video clip on Instagram.

In the pre-recorded video posted on May 18, Ms Bao Ngoc – who is also known as Ashley Tieu – urged viewers to “call on the Vietnamese government” to act against what she described as Israel’s illegal kidnapping and to work for her release.

Organisers said the Spring 2026 GSF was “the largest coordinated civilian maritime effort for Palestine to date”, with over 70 boats and thousands of participants.

The flotilla had set sail from Turkey’s Marmaris coast on May 14 in its third attempt to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver aid to Palestinians. Israel has maintained the blockade since the militant group Hamas took control of the territory in 2007.

The flotilla’s ships were about 250 nautical miles from the coast of Gaza when they were surrounded, and Israeli forces detained hundreds of activists, including citizens of Malaysia and Indonesia.

Both the foreign ministries of Malaysia and Indonesia have condemned the interception and detention of their nationals. At least 25 Malaysians and five Indonesians are currently detained by the Israeli military.

In the first flotilla in October 2025, 23 Malaysians were among those detained by Israel, and another 10 were detained during the second attempt in April 2026. They were later released and deported through an effort organised with the Turkish government.

So far, the Vietnamese government has said its embassy in Tel Aviv has contacted the Israeli foreign ministry to verify the news of Ms Bao Ngoc’s arrest. It has also called for humane treatment in line with international conventions.

She is the first and only participant from Vietnam, where Muslims constitute less than 0.1 per cent of the population. A 2019 census put the number at just over 70,000.

The incident has quickly become a hotly discussed – but also highly divisive – topic on Vietnamese social media, especially among younger audience on the Meta-owned Threads.

At the centre of the debate is Ms Bao Ngoc, who described herself as having “a background in teaching”. She co-founded an Instagram account called VietforPalestine in 2024 as “the first Vietnamese community for Palestine liberation”. It has since amassed over 22,400 followers.

Ms Bao Ngoc’s supporters praised her for joining such a dangerous mission, and for continuing the “bloodstream of conscience”.

“The voyage undertaken by Ms Bao Ngoc to support peace for the Palestinian people is something extremely admirable, and I am deeply impressed by her courageous actions,” wrote user Hanna on Threads.

“During Vietnam’s arduous years of resistance, the Palestinian people wholeheartedly supported us,” wrote the well-known pro-state, nationalist Vietnamese Facebook account Tifosi. “We have the deepest respect for Bao Ngoc Ashley.”

Vietnam has close relations with the Palestine Liberation Organisation and was one of the first countries to recognise the State of Palestine in 1988.

Hanoi officially supports a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders, calling for ceasefires and the protection of civilians in the Gaza Strip. It has also pledged to contribute to the reconstruction of Gaza.

But Vietnam has also maintained fast-growing and multifaceted ties with Israel since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1993. Bilateral trade reached US$3.75 billion (S$4.81 billion) in 2025.

The two countries are strong partners in the defence industry, with Israel being Vietnam’s second-largest arms supplier after Russia between 2017 and 2021, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Israel also plays an active and important role in Hanoi’s military modernisation.

Vietnam has pursued a so-called “bamboo diplomacy” policy, under which it often maintains a neutral stance and does not take sides in many international conflicts. This neutral position – evident in its stance on the war in Ukraine – has prevented it from providing official protection to Vietnam citizens who serve as combatants for either Russia or Ukraine.

There are some people with less sympathy for Ms Bao Ngoc.

“The government has advised against travelling to that area, but you disregarded the warning, so do not expect the government to jeopardise its foreign relations for the sake of one individual,” wrote Facebook user Phan Gia Thanh Trung.

Meanwhile, Hanoi-based lawyer Tran Dai Lam said Vietnamese youths should not “romanticise” her decision to join the flotilla.

“Even if driven by goodwill and compassion, this remains a personal choice and does not represent the Vietnamese state,” he told The Straits Times, adding that Ms Bao Ngoc should be “aware of the legal risks, the risk to her life, and potential diplomatic consequences”.

Despite that, he still believes that the government owes it to its citizens to demand Ms Bao Ngoc’s release.

“I think the Vietnamese government should speak out to protect its citizens…and demand her release,” he added.

Whether Hanoi acts or stays silent, Ms Bao Ngoc has already made her position clear

“I believe South-east Asians need to be engaged in the Palestinian cause because we have had a long history of anti-colonial resistance,” the activist said in another Instagram clip.

“The Palestinian cause is extremely important to our anti-colonial and anti-imperial roots.”