Ankara: Trkiye on Monday condemned Israel's refusal to allow the Gaza-bound aid ship Madleen to dock, stating that Tel Aviv's action against the Freedom Flotilla Coalition "while it was in international waters is a clear violation of international law."
According to Anadolu Agency, the Turkish Foreign Ministry described Israel's actions as a "heinous act," asserting that the Netanyahu government is threatening freedom of navigation and maritime security. The ministry emphasized that the international community's response against Israel's policies, which allegedly use hunger as a weapon in Gaza and hinder humanitarian aid, will continue.
The ministry criticized Israel's conduct as "aggressive and unlawful," targeting those who defend human dignity and universal principles.
Reiterating Trkiye's condemnation, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun expressed on X that the Israeli government "has shown once again that it cannot tolerate even basic humanitarian aid reaching Gaza." Altun accused Israel of threatening regional peace and global security with its ongoing assaults on Gaza, affecting civilians, women, and children.
Altun urged the international community to take action, stating that ignoring this reality or remaining silent is akin to being complicit in the crime. He called for an end to the brutality and for the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, as well as the establishment of a just peace in the region.
Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus also condemned the attack on X, labeling it "a terrorist operation." He argued that the attack in international waters is an attack on both an international humanitarian mission and human dignity. Kurtulmus urged the international community to speak out against this "clear injustice," defend human values, and support Madleen.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an international NGO, reported that Israeli soldiers had kidnapped 12 people on board the Madleen, including 11 activists and one journalist. Among the detained are Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan, and other activists from various countries. The journalist, Omar Faiad, is affiliated with Al Jazeera Mubasher.