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Türkiye is closely monitoring the situation of its citizens detained by Israeli forces during the attack on the Global Sumud Fleet in international waters, with the Tel Aviv Embassy initiating diplomatic interventions for consular protection, the Turkish Foreign Ministry sources announced on Thursday.
Türkiye's Tel Aviv Embassy has undertaken necessary initiatives to provide consular protection for Turkish citizens aboard vessels "illegally seized" by Israeli forces while sailing in international waters toward Gaza, according to Foreign Ministry sources.
"Our Tel Aviv Embassy has undertaken necessary initiatives to provide consular protection for our citizens. The families of our citizens are being informed about developments," the ministry sources stated.
The ministry emphasized that it is closely following the situation of Turkish nationals aboard vessels that were seized during Israel's attack on the humanitarian convoy.
Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin denounced Israel's attack on the flotilla as a "breach of international maritime law" ahead of the European Political Community meeting in Copenhagen on Thursday.
"If it happened in international waters, then yes," Martin said when asked if the attack constituted a breach of maritime law.
"It's a humanitarian mission, no threat to anybody other than to highlight and also to bring humanitarian aid into the people of Gaza, and it underlines the absolute imperative of getting humanitarian aid into Gaza as quickly as possible," he noted.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares demanded the immediate release of Spanish nationals, confirming that 65 Spanish citizens were aboard the flotilla vessels.
"The flotilla members pose no threat to Israel; they have no hostility to carry out any illegal action. That's why they absolutely should not be charged with anything," Albares told Spanish state television RTVE.
"Right now the priority is that they be released immediately as they were innocently exercising their right of passage in international waters and return to Spain," he noted.
Spain summoned Israel's charge d'affaires in Madrid to deliver a formal note of protest. Albares stated he "will not accept unfair and unfounded accusations against them," emphasizing that the Spanish citizens are "only peaceful citizens in solidarity" with full diplomatic and consular protection.
According to flotilla organizers, 223 activists from 35 nationalities were detained during the operation, including citizens from Spain, Italy, Brazil, Türkiye, Greece, the United States, Germany, Sweden, Britain, and France.
Greek citizen Takis Politis, detained aboard one of the seized vessels, announced through a message posted by his brother on Facebook that he and other activists have begun a hunger strike to protest their illegal detention.
"The detention we are facing cannot be compared to what Palestinians experience," Politis wrote, adding that the strike serves as both solidarity with Palestinians and protest against the illegal detention in international waters.
"No one can claim anymore that they don't know what is happening. Humanity's only duty today is to stop the genocide against the Palestinian people," the message stated.
Democratic Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts called on President Donald Trump to leverage his relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure the flotilla's safety.
"Trump should use his relationship with Netanyahu to protect the Global Sumud Flotilla," Markey posted on social media platform X, highlighting that U.S. citizens were among those detained and stressing the need for "a peaceful resolution to this crisis."
Israeli human rights organization Adalah condemned the attack as "a blatant violation of international law," describing the flotilla as "a peaceful humanitarian mission aimed at breaking the illegal blockade on Gaza and opening a humanitarian corridor."
The organization, founded by Arab citizens of Israel, called for "the immediate cessation of this illegal attack, the release of activists, the return of confiscated aid and vessels, and allowing the flotilla to reach Gaza."
1 min read
The flotilla, loaded mainly with humanitarian aid and medical supplies, set sail at the end of August. It was the first time in years that more than 50 ships had sailed together toward Gaza, carrying 532 civilian supporters from over 45 countries.
Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza, home to nearly 2.4 million, for nearly 18 years, and further tightened the siege in March when it closed border crossings and blocked food and medicine deliveries, pushing the enclave toward famine.
Since October 2023, Israeli bombardment has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
The UN and rights groups have repeatedly warned that the enclave is being rendered uninhabitable, with starvation and disease spreading rapidly.
6 min read
