Ministry of Foreign Affairs and TNI Urged to Act Swiftly to Free 9 Indonesians Detained by Israel
Amelia Anggraini, a member of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the Nasdem Faction, has expressed strong condemnation regarding the arrest of nine Indonesian citizens (WNI) by the Israeli military during a humanitarian mission to Gaza, Palestine. Amelia urged the Ministry of Foreign Ascertain and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) to act swiftly to ensure the safety of the detained individuals.
“I am encouraging the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the TNI, and all international diplomatic missions to move quickly to ensure that the condition of the detained Indonesian citizens remains safe and that they are released immediately,” Amelia stated on Wednesday (20/5/2026).
Amelia noted that the detention of volunteers and civilian journalists in international waters is not merely a diplomatic issue, but also concerns humanitarian principles and respect for international law. She emphasised that their safety, access to communication, and legal certainty must be the Indonesian government’s top priority. Furthermore, she highlighted that the protection of journalists participating in humanitarian missions must be a serious concern, as they perform vital humanitarian and public information functions amidst the conflict.
She added that the situation demonstrates that the Gaza conflict has entered an increasingly alarming phase, as humanitarian space and civilian aid are being impacted. Indonesia, as a country consistent in its support for the Palestinian struggle for independence, must take more active diplomatic steps through both bilateral channels and international forums.
Previously, nine Indonesian citizens, comprising four journalists and five activists, were arrested by Israeli soldiers while conducting a humanitarian sailing mission with the Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0. According to information from Global Peace Convoy Indonesia on Wednesday (20/5/2026), the nine Indonesians have sent emergency SOS messages via video statements confirming their arrest. The arrests occurred at different times; Andi, Rahendro, Andre, Thoudy, and Abeng were detained on Monday (18/5/2026). While Herman and Ronggo initially believed they had evaded Israeli interception, they were also detained on Tuesday (19/5/2026) local time. Four hours later, Asad and Hendro also uploaded emergency messages stating they had been captured by Israeli soldiers.