TEL AVIV, May 20 — Israeli authorities have said that 430 activists aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla were en route to Israel, after their vessels were intercepted at sea.

Sailing from Turkey last week, the Global Sumud Flotilla vessels are the latest in a string of attempts by activists to breach Israel’s blockade of the Palestinian territory, with the last convoy intercepted by Israeli forces last month.

“Another 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,” a spokesman from Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said late yesterday.

“This flotilla has once again proved to be nothing more than a PR stunt at the service of Hamas,” the spokesman added.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier denounced the flotilla as “a malicious scheme designed to break the blockade we have imposed on Hamas terrorists in Gaza”.

The US yesterday sanctioned four people associated with the Global Sumud Flotilla and accused them of being “pro-terrorist”.

Around 50 ships had departed from southwestern Turkey on Thursday.

A website tracking the flotilla’s location later showed several vessels being intercepted west of Cyprus.

Nine Indonesian citizens who were part of the flotilla “have all been reported arrested by Israel,” a spokeswoman for Indonesia’s foreign ministry said, citing information dated today.

Indonesia called on Israel to immediately release all vessels and crew members, adding that “every diplomatic channel and consular measure will continue to be fully utilised”.

Indonesian newspaper Republika earlier said two of its journalists were among the nine Indonesians detained.

Turkey and Spain have condemned the interception.

Organisers said the flotilla also included 15 Irish citizens, including Margaret Connolly, sister of President Catherine Connolly.

Israel controls all entry points into Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007.

During the Gaza war, triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, the territory has suffered severe shortages of food, medicine and other essential supplies, with Israel at times halting aid deliveries entirely.

A previous flotilla attempt was intercepted last month in international waters off Greece, with most activists expelled to Europe. — AFP

PUTRAJAYA, May 20 — The Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC) has confirmed that all 10 vessels involved in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) 2.0 mission have been intercepted by the Israeli forces as of 8.25pm Malaysian time.

SNCC said the latest intercepted vessel, Alcyone, was carrying two Malaysians, namely Muhammad Hareez Adzrami and Chin Shiau Weai.

“Further developments will be officially announced by SNCC. A press conference will be held tomorrow,” SNCC said in a brief statement last night.

Separately, the GSF said it had received confirmation that hundreds of civilian participants abducted during yesterday’s alleged illegal Israeli naval assault on the high seas were currently being forcibly transported by Israeli forces to a port in occupied Palestine.

“The naval vessel carrying our kidnapped participants, including doctors, journalists and human rights defenders from more than 40 nations, is scheduled to dock within approximately two hours,” it said.

GSF added that the organisation demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all participants, alongside more than 9,000 Palestinian political prisoners, while also calling on world leaders to demand the release of flotilla participants, Palestinian political prisoners and hostages, as well as an end to the genocide and blockade on Gaza.

The organisation also expressed grave and immediate concerns over the physical safety and well-being of those detained following testimonies from the April 29 alleged illegal abduction of GSF participants in international waters, which detailed patterns of torture, severe physical abuse and invasive sexual violence allegedly perpetrated by Israeli forces. — Bernama 

PETALING JAYA, May 20 — Malaysia is demanding for the Israeli Zionist regime to immediately release 25 of its citizens who are members and crew of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) detained off the coast of Cyprus on May 18.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the action runs counter to basic human rights and international law, as the group were not within Israeli waters when they were intercepted by the country’s authority.

“We demand that the Israeli Zionist regime accord them proper treatment and release them immediately as this is against basic human rights and international law.

“They did not intrude… they were (located) far off (the coast of Cyprus). And yet they were intercepted, and there were citizens of many other countries who were also detained by the Israeli Zionist regime,” he said, during a media conference at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base in Subang, on Tuesday.

Mohamad said he also would like to thank his counterpart from Türkiye, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and the government of Turkiye for successfully bringing home 10 Malaysia citizens who were detained earlier.

“But now we have more detained.

“We ask for them to be accorded proper treatment and be released immediately,” he said.

Mohamad said for other Malaysians were earlier detained by the Greek authority when their vessel sank while in the process of bringing it back.

Mohamad said three other crew or participants have been released while two more – the captain and first officer — have been detained and tried before being freed by the court.

“They have all returned to Istanbul.

“We would like to again thank my counterpart, Hakan Fidan, and the government of Turkiye,” he said. — Bernama