Israel Admits Intercepting Ship Convoy Carrying Aid to Gaza
Israeli forces have intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla humanitarian mission, an armada of ships carrying aid to Gaza that departed from Turkey last week. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused the mission of being an ‘evil scheme’ intended to support Hamas.
According to a statement from his office, Netanyahu told the commander of the intercepting forces, ‘I believe you are doing an extraordinary job… thwarting an evil plan designed to violate the blockade we have imposed on the Hamas terrorists in Gaza.’ He added that the operation was carried out with great success and with far less fanfare than the enemy had anticipated.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs also described the convoy as a provocation, vowing to prevent it from reaching Gaza. In a post on X, the ministry stated, ‘This time, two Turkish groups that commit violence—Mavi Marmara and IHH, the latter of which has been designated as a terrorist organisation—are part of this provocation.’
The Global Sumud Flotilla is the latest in a series of activist attempts to break the Israeli blockade on the Palestinian territory. The group stated on X that the international humanitarian fleet was being attacked and that the Israeli occupation was illegally intercepting the fleet and ‘kidnapping’ volunteers. Tracking websites indicated that several ships were intercepted west of Cyprus.
The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu RI) has condemned Israel’s actions and is actively monitoring the condition of Indonesian citizens involved in the mission. Spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang stated that the ministry is in communication regarding the status of Indonesian nationals.
Currently, ten ships have been detained by Israel, including the Amanda, Barbaros, Josef, and Blue Toys. According to the Global Peace Convoy Indonesia (GPCI), an Indonesian citizen, Andi Angga Prasadewa, a delegate from GPCI-Rumah Zakat, is aboard the ship Josef. The Ministry is also attempting to contact a ship carrying journalists from Republika.
Two journalists from Republika, Bambang Noroyono and Thoudy Badai, have been detained by Israeli soldiers. The Editor-in-Chief of Republika, Andi Muhyiddin, expressed serious concern for their safety, noting that nine Indonesian volunteers are part of the convoy. Republika has strongly condemned the interception, calling it a serious violation of international law, universal humanitarian principles, and the civil liberties of global citizens delivering aid to the people of Gaza.