Esra Tekin and Sercan Irkin
18 May 2026•Update: 19 May 2026
The foreign ministers of Türkiye, Bangladesh, Brazil, Indonesia, Spain, Colombia, Libya, the Maldives, Pakistan, and Jordan on Monday "strongly" condemned Israel’s repeated attacks on the Global Sumud Flotilla, "a peaceful civilian humanitarian initiative aimed at drawing the international community’s attention to the humanitarian catastrophe faced by the Palestinian people."
The statement said the ministers noted with deep concern Israel’s previous interventions against aid missions in international waters and condemned the continuation of hostile acts targeting civilian vessels and humanitarian aid activists.
"These attacks, including assaults on vessels and the arbitrary detention of activists, constitute a clear violation of international law and international humanitarian law," it said.
The ministers expressed serious concern regarding the safety and security of the civilians on board the flotilla, and called for the immediate release of all detained activists and for full respect for their rights and dignity.
The ministers underlined that repeated attacks on peaceful humanitarian initiatives reflect an ongoing disregard for international law and freedom of navigation.
The statement urged the global community to fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities, ensure the protection of civilians and humanitarian missions, and take concrete steps to end impunity and ensure accountability for these violations.
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.
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.
