Pakistan condemns Israeli raid on Gaza aid flotilla
Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Photo: Express
Pakistan strongly condemned Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, describing the action as a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law.
In a statement on Thursday, the Foreign Office (FO) said the unlawful detention of international activists on board the flotilla endangered the lives of innocent civilians.
The flotilla, comprising more than 40 civilian vessels and carrying around 500 international activists, was on its way to deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.
The Foreign Office said the interception was part of Israel’s “ongoing pattern of aggression” and its illegal blockade of Gaza, which has caused immense human suffering for more than two million Palestinians. It added that the deliberate obstruction of humanitarian relief constituted a grave breach of Israel’s obligations as an occupying power under the Fourth Geneva Convention.
🔊PR No.2️⃣9️⃣5️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣
Pakistan Strongly Condemns Interception of Global Sumud Flotilla by Israel
🔗⬇️https://t.co/Pfar8bbtjl pic.twitter.com/EMEBPtEAAoReiterating its position, Pakistan called for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire across all Occupied Palestinian Territories; lifting of the blockade of Gaza; unhindered humanitarian access; release of all activists onboard the flotilla; and accountability for Israel’s violations of international law.
The statement reaffirmed Pakistan’s “unwavering support and solidarity” with the Palestinian people in their struggle for the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent, sovereign and contiguous State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned what he called a “dastardly attack” by Israeli forces on the Samud Gaza flotilla, a convoy of 40 vessels carrying more than 450 humanitarian workers from 44 countries.
In a statement, the prime minister expressed concern for those “illegally apprehended” by Israeli forces and called for their immediate release. “Their only crime was to carry aid for the hapless Palestinian people,” he said.
Pakistan strongly condemns the dastardly attack by Israeli forces on the 40 vessel Samud Gaza flotilla, carrying over 450 humanitarian workers from 44 countries.
We hope and pray for the safety of all those who have been illegally apprehended by Israeli forces and call for their…Shehbaz added that “this barbarity must end,” urging that peace be given a chance and humanitarian aid allowed to reach those in need.
Read: Israel intercepts Global Sumud Flotilla, cuts communication
Israeli forces have stopped 13 boats carrying foreign activists and aid bound for Gaza, but 30 boats are continuing to sail towards the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave, flotilla organisers said on Thursday.
A video from the Israeli foreign ministry verified by Reuters showed the most prominent of the flotilla's passengers, Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, sitting on a deck surrounded by soldiers.
The Global Sumud Flotilla -- around 45 vessels carrying activists and politicians, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg -- left Spain last month, aiming to break Israel's blockade of the Palestinian territory, where the UN says famine has set in.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, transporting medicine and food to Gaza, consists of more than 40 civilian boats with about 500 parliamentarians, lawyers and activists.
Read more: Pakistanis, global activists reach Tunisia to sail for Gaza on Sumud Flotilla
The flotilla put out several videos on Telegram with messages from individuals aboard the various boats, some holding their passports and claiming they were abducted and taken to Israel against their will, and reiterating that their mission was a non-violent humanitarian cause.
The flotilla is the most high-profile symbol of opposition to Israel's blockade of Gaza.
Its progress across the Mediterranean Sea garnered international attention as nations including Turkey, Spain and Italy sent boats or drones in case their nationals required assistance, even as it triggered repeated warnings from Israel to turn back.
Turkey’s foreign ministry called Israel’s “attack” on the flotilla “an act of terror” that endangered the lives of innocent civilians.
In a joint statement, Italy and Greece appealed to Israeli authorities to "guarantee the safety and integrity of the flotilla's participants".
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the activists "do not represent a danger or a threat to Israel", and hoped that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government would not represent a threat to this flotilla either.
"We sail on undeterred by Israeli threats and tactics of intimidation," said the flotilla, which is also carrying Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla Mandela and Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian European Parliament member.
Spain's digital transformation minister, Oscar Lopez, had urged the flotilla not to cross into Israel's declared exclusion zone, extending 150 nautical miles off Gaza."Our message to the flotilla has been clear: do not enter that zone," he told Spanish public television, adding that Spain's naval escort would not cross into the exclusion area.
Israel blocked similar attempts in June and July.