Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
The State of Palestine has condemned the interception and detention of international activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla and accused Israel of violating international law and calling for urgent global action, including sanctions.
In a statement yesterday, Palestinian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Dr Tamer Almassri criticised the taunting and dehumanising of detained activists by Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, following the interception of vessels in international waters.
The flotilla, which carried activists from Europe, the Americas and South Africa, was reportedly en route to deliver humanitarian aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip when it was intercepted by Israeli military forces.
Ambassador Almassri said the activists were unlawfully intercepted and illegally detained.
The operation allegedly amounted to an overreach in international waters and a breach of international law.
He said the incident forms part of a wider pattern of mistreatment of individuals seeking to challenge Israel’s blockade on Gaza.
Ambassador Almassri said the treatment of the activists reflected broader, difficult conditions faced by Palestinians under Israeli administration.
“The treatment of these international volunteers is a window into the reality faced by the Palestinian people,” he said, adding that the handling of detainees highlighted what the embassy described as systemic abuse and humiliation.
Ambassador Almassri said the incident showed the need for urgent international intervention and accountability.
He urged the global community, human rights organisations and sovereign States to condemn Israel’s actions.
Ambassador Almassri also called for targeted sanctions against Israeli officials accused of violations of international law and alleged abuses against Palestinians.
The Global Sumud Flotilla has previously organised maritime missions aimed at drawing international attention to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, often facing interception by Israeli naval forces.
Israel has gotten away with a genocide committed live, in the faces of global audiences, killing more than 72 775 people and inflicting injuries on 172 723 people, while about 11 000 are unaccounted for after being buried under the rubble and presumed dead.
The majority of those killed are women and children.
