Indonesia seeks safety of citizens held by Israel

“I myself have asked our embassies to communicate with the foreign ministries in Jordan, Turkey, and Egypt to obtain accurate information regarding the whereabouts and condition of our citizens who have been detained,” Foreign Minister Sugiono said after a meeting at the Senayan parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Wednesday.

He emphasized that communication with those Middle Eastern countries is crucial to ensure Indonesia’s message reaches Israel, given that Jakarta does not maintain official diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv.

“We are communicating through our counterparts, who can directly communicate with Israel, to ensure that our citizens are treated properly,” Sugiono noted.

He also assured that the government would maximize all available efforts to ensure that the Indonesian volunteers and journalists participating in the humanitarian convoy to Gaza can safely return home in good health.

Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry on Wednesday confirmed that all nine Indonesian nationals participating in the GSF humanitarian mission had been detained by Israeli forces.

Among the nine Indonesians are three journalists assigned to cover the mission: Bambang Noroyono and Thoudy Badai from Republika, and Andre Prasetyo Nugroho from Tempo.

Indonesia strongly condemned Israel’s interception of the humanitarian aid vessels and the detention of the volunteers, including Indonesian citizens.

The situation also highlights the urgent need for Israel to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people in accordance with international humanitarian law.

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Translator: Nabil Ihsan, Yashinta Difa