‘Act of piracy’: World reacts to Israeli interception of Gaza aid flotilla
Officials around the globe condemn the interception of the boats bound for Gaza as violation of international law.
Israel has intercepted 22 out of the 58 aid boats travelling through international waters and bound for the besieged Gaza Strip.
The vessels make up part of a second Global Sumud Flotilla to try in recent months to break an Israeli blockade by carrying humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza. They sailed from the Spanish port of Barcelona on April 12.
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The boats were seized by Israel late on Wednesday in international waters off Greece’s Peloponnese Peninsula, hundreds of miles from Gaza, the flotilla’s organisers said on Thursday.
Israel “kidnapped” 211 of the 400 activists taking part in the flotilla, including a Paris city councillor, according to the flotilla’s organisers. Israel’s Foreign Ministry had earlier put the number of those detained at 175.
Here’s how authorities around the world are reacting to the incident:
Italy
Italy called for the immediate release of Italian nationals on board the flotilla.
Italy “condemns the seizure of the Global Sumud Flotilla vessels … and calls on Israel to immediately release all the unlawfully detained Italians”, the government said in a statement.
Italy’s ANSA news agency cited sources among the organisers saying 24 Italians had been detained.
In its statement, the government also called for the “full respect of international law and guarantees on the physical safety of the people on board”.
It said it was “committed to continue supplying humanitarian aid to Gaza in the framework of our cooperation and in respect of international law”.
Germany
In a joint statement with Italy, Germany said it was following developments regarding the flotilla with “great concern” and called for international law to be respected and for “restraint from irresponsible actions”.
Spain
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called Israel’s interception of Gaza-bound aid vessels, on which some Spanish citizens were aboard, illegal.
“Israel is once again violating international law by attacking a civilian flotilla in waters that do not belong to it,” Sanchez wrote on X.
Spain “is doing everything necessary to protect and assist the detained Spaniards,” Sanchez added.
Earlier, the country’s foreign ministry said it “energetically condemns” Israel’s seizure of the flotilla, which is carrying Spanish nationals.
Madrid has summoned Israel’s charge d’affaires to convey its protest against the detention of the vessels, the ministry added in a statement.
Turkiye
Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s seizure of the boats in the flotilla as “an act of piracy.”
“By targeting the Global Sumud Flotilla, whose mission is to draw attention to the humanitarian catastrophe faced by the innocent people of Gaza, Israel has also violated humanitarian principles and international law,” the ministry said in a statement.
Hamas
In a post on Telegram, the Palestinian group Hamas condemned the interception, accusing Israel of committing a crime without accountability and calling for the release of those detained.
Global Sumud Flotilla organisers
The flotilla’s organisers condemned Israel’s seizure of its vessels.
“This is piracy,” they said in a statement. “This is the unlawful seizure of human beings on the open sea near Crete, an assertion that Israel can operate with total impunity, far beyond its own borders, with no consequences.”
“No state has the right to claim, police, or occupy international waters. Yet, that is exactly what Israel has done, extending its regime of control outward, occupying the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Europe,” the statement said.
Amnesty International
Amnesty International called for the immediate release of the detained activists.
“The crew of the intercepted vessels must be immediately and unconditionally released,” it said in a statement shared on social media.
“While in custody, the Israeli authorities must ensure that all activists are immediately granted access to consular support, treated humanely and protected from torture and other ill-treatment.”
Al Jazeera Media Network
The network issued a statement saying it holds Israeli authorities “fully responsible for the safety” of its journalists who were on the Israeli-seized vessels, correspondent Hafedh Mribah and cameraman Mahmut Yavuz.
It urged the international community “to take a unified stance against Israel’s repeated violations of international law and conventions”.
Israel
Israel’s Foreign Ministry called the flotilla organisers “professional provocateurs” and said that its forces acted lawfully.
“Due to the large numbers of vessels participating in the flotilla and the risk of escalation, and the need to prevent the breach of a lawful blockade, an early action was required in accordance with international law,” the ministry said in a statement.
Iran
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei accused Israel of carrying out an act of “piracy”.
In comments carried by Iran’s IRIB broadcaster, Baghaei said Israel’s “attack” on the flotilla is “a blow to the awakened conscience of humanity”.
He urged the international community to back the flotilla and press for the detained activists’ release.
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders (known by its French acronym RSF) released a statement condemning Israel for “kidnapping” three journalists aboard the aid flotilla, including two Al Jazeera reporters.
“Israel is responsible for their safety,” RSF said.
