Israeli authorities said on Tuesday that around 430 activists aboard the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla were being transferred to Israel after their vessels were intercepted at sea.
The flotilla, which departed from Turkiye last week, was attempting to challenge Israelâs long-standing blockade on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to the territory.
âAnother PR flotilla has come to an end. All 430 activists have been transferred to Israeli vessels and are making their way to Israel, where they will be able to meet with their consular representatives,â a spokesman for Israelâs Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
âThis flotilla has once again proved to be nothing more than a PR stunt at the service of Hamas,â the spokesman added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier described the mission as âa malicious scheme designed to break the blockade we have imposed on Hamas terrorists in Gazaâ.
The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on four individuals linked to the Global Sumud Flotilla, accusing them of being âpro-terroristâ.
Around 50 ships had set sail from southwestern Turkiye on Thursday. Tracking data later showed several vessels being intercepted west of Cyprus.
Among those detained were nine Indonesian nationals, including two journalists from the newspaper Republika, according to Indonesian authorities. Indonesiaâs foreign ministry called on Israel to immediately release all detained crew members and vessels, saying diplomatic and consular efforts would continue.
Pakistani humanitarian activist Saad Edhi, son of social worker Faisal Edhi and grandson of late philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi, was also reported among those detained.
Organisers said the flotilla included 15 Irish citizens, among them Margaret Connolly, sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung criticised Israelâs actions on Wednesday, saying South Korean nationals had been arrested in international waters without valid legal grounds.
Lee also referred to the International Criminal Court warrants concerning Netanyahu, saying Seoul would make its own judgment on the issue.
Meanwhile, Pakistan joined nine other countries in issuing a joint statement condemning Israelâs interception of the flotilla. The statement, signed by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Turkiye, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Libya, Maldives and Spain, described the flotilla as âa peaceful civilian humanitarian initiative aimed at drawing international attention to the catastrophic humanitarian suffering of the Palestinian peopleâ.
Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza since 2007 and controls all access points into the territory. The ongoing conflict has led to severe shortages of food, medicine and other essential supplies, with aid deliveries repeatedly disrupted.
A previous flotilla attempt was intercepted last month in international waters near Greece, after which most activists were deported to Europe.
