Israeli warships once again intercepted the Global Flotilla Sumud vessels in international waters, while racist threats and persecution against humanitarian activists continue. International mobilization was already key to stop illegal transfers and free all activists and now it is again urgent to mobilize and demand the immediate release of the new hostages.
By Oda Cuentas
On May 18, Israeli warships surrounded and intercepted new vessels of the Global Flotilla Sumud in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, some 250 nautical miles from the Gaza Strip. Just two weeks ago, the Flotilla had already suffered an attack off the coast of Crete, when Israeli forces abducted dozens of international activists, doctors and journalists. Now, the Israeli army is once again advancing on new crew members of the mission that seeks to break the criminal blockade on Gaza.
The boats had departed from Marmaris to open a humanitarian corridor and denounce the genocide against the Palestinian people. The new interception constitutes another open violation of international law and confirms that the Israeli government acts with total impunity, supported by the imperialist powers.
A systematic policy of kidnapping and state piracy
Just two weeks ago, Israeli commandos illegally boarded 21 civilian vessels in international waters and kidnapped 181 activists and human rights defenders, including Cele Fierro and Raul Laguna of LIS and Thiago Avila and Saif Abukeshek. The international mobilization was key to prevent the first abductees from being transferred to Israeli territory and also to achieve the subsequent release of Thiago and Saif. This immediate solidarity response showed that international pressure is fundamental to put a stop to Zionist aggressions.
Propaganda and racism campaign to justify new crimes
The interception was preceded by an intense media campaign promoted by media aligned with the Israeli government, among them Channel 12, which sought to install the story of a supposed “threat” coming from the flotilla. According to the latest press release of the Global Sumud Flotilla, the Israeli forces have already intercepted 16 vessels and are preparing an operation differentiated by nationalities, announcing that they will first confiscate European ships and then advance on the alleged “Turkish ships” with “more aggressive” methods.
The GSF denounced that this narrative constitutes a racist and completely false maneuver: “The flotilla does not include Turkish-flagged vessels”. The communiqué points out that the Israeli regime is trying to reinstall the precedent of the attack on the Mavi Marmara to justify a new military aggression. They also reiterated that its participants, from 40 countries around the world, are completely unarmed and that the mission is composed of humanitarian workers, journalists, doctors and human rights defenders.
Gaza blockade extends over land and sea
As the Israeli navy advanced on the flotilla, the Global Land Convoy Sumud also faced blockades in northern Libya. More than 30 humanitarian vehicles, including ambulances and mobile homes, were stopped near Sirte after the deployment of forces linked to the Libyan eastern authorities, under political pressure from Egypt. The coordination between the maritime and land blockade shows that the siege on Gaza already goes beyond the Palestinian borders and has become a regional mechanism of persecution against any solidarity initiative.
Let’s mobilize now for the immediate release of all kidnapped people
The experience of these weeks once again demonstrated that international pressure and mobilization were fundamental to prevent the transfer of the first hostages to Israeli territory and also to obtain the release of Thiago and Saif.
In the face of this new offensive against the humanitarian flotilla, it is urgent to multiply actions, rallies and statements throughout the world to demand the immediate release of the new hostages, the end of all judicial persecution against the mission, the release of all Palestinian prisoners and the immediate lifting of the criminal blockade on Gaza. It is also necessary to demand that governments demand the immediate release of their abducted citizens and break political, diplomatic and military relations with the Zionist state. Every international solidarity initiative is part of the fight for a single, free and sovereign Palestine, from the river to the sea.
