Demonstrators in Turkey and across the globe on Thursday condemned Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian aid mission bound for Gaza, urging sanctions and stronger international pressure on Israel.
In İstanbul thousands marched toward the Israeli Embassy carrying banners reading “Total embargo on the occupation.”
Protesters demanded the release of all detained activists. “We demand the release of all members of the Sumud fleet and all prisoners,” 21-year-old student Elif Bozkurt told Agence France-Presse.
The flotilla, made up of 41 ships and more than 400 people, set sail from Barcelona last month to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza, which United Nations officials say has created famine conditions. Participants included politicians, activists and climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. Israel intercepted the vessels on Wednesday and blocked them from reaching the coastal territory.
Protests erupted far beyond Turkey. In Barcelona, municipal police estimated 15,000 people marched in solidarity with Gaza, chanting “Boycott Israel” and “Gaza, you are not alone.” Spanish television showed riot police pushing back protesters who tried to breach barriers. Former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau and Mandla Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, were among those aboard the flotilla ships stopped by Israel and who now face deportation.
In Europe several hundred marched outside Ireland’s parliament in Dublin, while around 1,000 gathered at the Place de la République in Paris. Police in Marseille arrested about 100 demonstrators who tried to block the offices of weapons supplier Eurolinks. Similar rallies took place in Berlin, The Hague, Geneva and Athens.
Italian unions have called a general strike for Friday. Police said 10,000 joined a march in Rome, with more protests in Milan, Torino, Florence and Bologna. Demonstrators at the Colosseum denounced Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s support for Israel, chanting “The genocidal machine must stop immediately.”
In Brussels about 3,000 people gathered outside the European Parliament, setting off smoke bombs and urging EU leaders to “break the siege.” “Each boat must be protected,” one protester told AFP, calling on the bloc to halt financial support for Israel.
Demonstrations were also reported in Tunis, Brasilia, Buenos Aires, Kuala Lumpur and other cities. “They are just bringing in aid and baby food,” said Ili Farhan, a protester in Malaysia. “This arrest is unjust.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sharply condemned Israel’s interception of the Gaza flotilla, calling it “banditry” and accusing Israel’s leadership of trying to conceal its crimes in Gaza, pledging Turkey would take measures to protect its citizens and activists seized at sea.
Main opposition leader Özgür Özel accused President Erdoğan of “timidity toward Israel” for a lack of decisive action against the interception of the Gaza flotilla, linking that behavior to a fear of US President Donald Trump.
Özel demanded that Turkey act decisively to defend its citizens detained by Israel and criticized what he called Erdoğan’s pattern of prioritizing relations with the US over assertive diplomacy in defense of Turkish nationals.
Reports on how many Turkish citizens were detained by Israel during its interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla vary, with official and activist sources giving different figures.
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said it has opened an investigation into the detention of 24 Turkish nationals, while Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency, citing diplomatic sources, put the number at at least 25.
The Turkish delegation to the flotilla, however, reported that 38 activists from Turkey were detained and added that nine more could not be reached, raising the possible total to 47. Some international media continue to cite the lower figure of 24, reflecting earlier official statements.
With reporting by Agence France-Presse