Exclusive: Turkish Ambassador Reveals Efforts to Free Global Sumud Flotilla Activists
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – Turkish Ambassador to Indonesia Prof Talip Küçükcan has revealed his country’s efforts regarding the release of participants in the Global Sumud Flotilla humanitarian mission who were briefly detained by Israel. He also stressed the importance of the action in voicing the suffering of the Palestinian people. In an exclusive interview with Republika at the Turkish Embassy in Jakarta on Monday (24/6/2026), Küçükcan stated that the flotilla mission aimed to highlight the suffering of the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip, which has been the target of Israeli attacks for nearly two years. “The main objective of the Global Sumud Flotilla participants was to bring this issue to the world’s attention while attempting to break the existing deadlock,” Küçükcan said. He expressed appreciation for all participants in the mission, including nine Indonesian citizens who joined the humanitarian voyage despite having to face various risks. According to Küçükcan, the flotilla action is part of international civil society’s efforts to continue voicing concerns over Israel’s violations of international law against the Palestinian people. “For us, this is a historic event. Israel’s aggression and violations of international law must continue to be voiced, including by civil society organisations,” he stated. Küçükcan explained that the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, government officials, and the Turkish intelligence agency conducted various communications and negotiations through multiple channels to secure the release of the detained participants. Although Turkey currently has no diplomatic or trade relations with Israel, Ankara still pursued diplomacy to protect the flotilla participants while fighting for the interests of the Palestinian people. “We want to help Palestine, send food and medicine, and contribute to the reconstruction of Gaza. Therefore, diplomacy must be carried out carefully and effectively,” he said.