The government of Turkey expressed its strong condemnation after Israel’s forces boarded the Global Sumud Flotilla – which was scheduled to arrive in Gaza tomorrow – in international waters, calling the attack on the flotilla a “terrorist act” and a serious violation of international law that has put innocent civilians at risk.
The Global Sumud flotilla reported late on Wednesday that most of the ships had lost their live broadcast signal after Israeli naval forces surrounded the convoy, which was sailing towards Gaza to defy the years-long blockade of the Strip. The interception reportedly took place between 70 and 80 nautical miles off the Gaza coast after Israeli warships blocked communications and moved to intercept the ships making up the flotilla.
“At around 20:30 Gaza time (19:30 CET), several ships of the Global Sumud Flotilla, including the Alma, Sirius and Adara, were intercepted and illegally boarded by Israeli occupation forces in international waters,” the organisers said, noting that they had lost contact with other vessels and that live broadcasts had been interrupted.
In a harsh statement issued shortly afterwards, Turkish foreign ministry denounced the assault as deliberately targeting peaceful, unarmed activists, exposing the “fascist and militaristic policies” of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s government. “This attack, which targeted civilians acting peacefully without resorting to violence, demonstrates that the genocidal policies of the Netanyahu government, which condemn Gaza to starvation, are not limited to Palestinians, but also reach anyone who stands up to Israeli oppression,” the official statement denounced.
The statement released from Ankara said that Turkey is coordinating with other countries whose citizens were on board the Sumud Flotilla, and that efforts are underway to secure the immediate release of those detained after the Israeli boarding. Türkiye has also urged the UN and other international bodies to act without delay to end Israel’s “illegal blockade” of Gaza, facilitate the immediate entry of humanitarian aid, and ensure freedom of navigation in the area.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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