Turkey and 15 other countries issued a joint statement on Tuesday expressing concern for the safety of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian aid convoy sailing toward the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.
The foreign ministers of Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Ireland, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Pakistan, Qatar, Oman, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain and Turkey said the flotilla’s mission to deliver humanitarian aid and raise awareness of Gaza’s urgent needs should be respected.
“We call on everyone to refrain from any unlawful or violent act against the flotilla, to respect international law and international humanitarian law,” the ministers said.
The flotilla carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists set sail Monday from Tunisia after repeated delays. It comprises over 50 vessels with thousands of participants from more than 44 countries.
The governments also warned that any attack on the vessels in international waters or illegal detention of participants would constitute violations of international law and human rights and “will lead to accountability.”
Organizers of the flotilla say their goal is to bring aid to Palestinians in Gaza and press for an end to Israel’s ongoing war on the enclave.
Israel has had a blockade on the territory since 2007, citing security concerns. Previous flotilla attempts to breach the blockade, including the deadly Mavi Marmara incident in 2010, have sparked international controversy.
Israel blocked two earlier attempts by activists to reach Gaza by sea in June and July.
The departure of the Global Sumud Flotilla towards famine-hit Gaza had been repeatedly postponed due to security concerns, delays in preparing some of the boats and weather conditions.
Another group of boats left the French island of Corsica last Friday, hoping to participate in another fleet, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which is expected to set sail from Italy by the end of the month.
Meanwhile, a UN commission has found that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, citing tens of thousands of civilian deaths and massive destruction, and accused Prime Minister Netanyahu and other top officials of incitement of genocide.
According to Gaza health authorities, Israeli forces have killed more than 64,000 Palestinians since October 7, 2023, when Hamas carried out an attack that left 1,206 people dead in Israel and around 250 taken hostage.