Spanish lawmakers denounce Israeli attack on Global Sumud aid flotilla

Spanish lawmakers on Monday denounced the recent Israeli attack on the Gaza-bound Global Sumud aid flotilla in international waters.

"Israel is attacking and kidnapping the Global Sumud Flotilla right in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. And it does so with total impunity while Europe continues to be complicit with the genocidaires," Ione Belarra, leader of the Podemos party, wrote on US social media platform X.

Belarra also called on everyone to mobilize in Madrid in afternoon to denounce the new intervention.

"Once again Israel hijacks ships with humanitarian aid for Gaza in the middle of the Mediterranean without anyone doing anything. Governments and the European Commission are responsible for everything the genocidaires do to them," Irene Montero, MEP for Podemos, also said on X.

The Israeli army on Monday attacked and intercepted the Gaza-bound Global Sumud humanitarian flotilla in international waters and detained around 100 activists as the mission sought to break Israel’s blockade on the Palestinian enclave.

The flotilla, consisting of more than 50 boats, set sail Thursday from the Turkish Mediterranean district of Marmaris in a renewed attempt to break the Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza since 2007.

Organizers said the mission included 426 participants, among them 96 Turkish activists and participants from 39 other countries, including Germany, the US, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Algeria, Indonesia, Morocco, France, South Africa, the UK, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Canada, Egypt, Pakistan, Tunisia, Oman and New Zealand.

Israeli forces also attacked the aid flotilla off the coast of the Greek island of Crete on April 29 and deported the activists on board.