A Portland man who traveled with a flotilla of about 50 vessels through international waters to deliver aid to Gaza is on his way back to Oregon, after Israeli forces intercepted the aid mission and held the man and several hundred others in prison.

Paul Reid started sailing across the Mediterranean with the Global Samud Flotilla in late August, according to posts on his Instagram.

He is one of the people with a Portland connection who joined Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela, former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau, and several European lawmakers on the mission.

Reid’s mother, Jan Levin, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that she and her family “were not surprised” when they learned that Reid planned to set sail for Gaza.

“He’s been very, very concerned

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