Turkey has condemned the boarding in international waters by Israeli forces of the Global Sumud Flotilla — which had set sail weeks earlier from Marseille, Barcelona, and Syracuse bound for Gaza — describing it as an act of “piracy” and calling for a joint response from the international community.
The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release that the mission’s objective was to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and draw attention to the dire situation in the Palestinian enclave. “The attack carried out by Israeli forces in international waters against the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was organized to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, constitutes 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,” stated the official communiqué issued from Ankara.
“This act of aggression further represents a breach of the principle of freedom of navigation on the high seas. We call upon the international community to adopt a unified stance against this unlawful act by Israel“, the statement concluded, adding that “All necessary initiatives are being undertaken, in coordination with other relevant countries, regarding the well being of our citizens and the other passengers on board the flotilla.”
The Israeli navy intercepted the ships late yesterday as they were heading toward Gaza, according to several sources and the convoy’s organizers themselves. The group stated that Israeli forces surrounded the flotilla near the Greek island of Crete, blocked communications, and seized several vessels. Israeli media also confirmed the interception, noting that naval forces had taken control of the vessels.
More than 20 ships and 175 activists detained
The Israeli Foreign Ministry, for its part, announced in a statement released on April 30 that its forces had detained some 175 activists aboard more than 20 ships, and that all of them were being transported “peacefully” to Israel, according to the official statement, which was accompanied by a video showing the activists aboard an Israeli ship.
“At the time of publishing this statement (06:30 Paris time, 04:30 GMT), at least 22 of the flotilla’s 58 boats have been stormed by Israeli forces in complete violation of international law,” the Global Sumud Flotilla organization also noted in another statement, after warning that its ships were surrounded by Israeli military vessels while sailing off the coast of Crete.
As soon as the news broke, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a telephone conversation early this morning with his counterpart from Spain, José Manuel Albares, during which both addressed the situation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the two ministers emphasized the need for a coordinated and joint international response to what they described as an illegal intervention against the humanitarian convoy in international waters.
The Sumud Flotilla, which is transporting aid bound for Gaza, seeks to challenge Israel’s blockade of the Strip and open a humanitarian corridor by sea. The convoy included dozens of ships carrying nearly 1,000 activists from various countries. The Turkish government has reported that it is closely monitoring the situation of its citizens and the other passengers traveling on the flotilla; meanwhile, the remaining vessels are currently sailing toward Gaza off the southwest coast of Crete, as shown by the live GPS tracking on the organization’s website.
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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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