AMMAN – Jordan and a group of nine nations have condemned the Israeli assault against the Gaza-bound aid flotilla as a “blatant violations of international law and international humanitarian law.”

 

In a joint statement, provided by the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, the foreign ministers of Jordan, Indonesia, Spain, Pakistan, Brazil, Bangladesh, Turkey, Colombia, Libya and Maldives have condemned in “the strongest terms the renewed Israeli assaults against the Global Sumud Flotilla, a peaceful civilian humanitarian initiative aimed at drawing international attention to the catastrophic humanitarian suffering of the Palestinian people.”

 

The ministers have decried with “grave concern” the Israeli interventions against previous flotillas in international waters and condemn the continuation of hostile acts targeting civilian vessels and humanitarian activists.

 

“Such assaults, including attacks against the vessels and the arbitrary detention of activists, constitute blatant violations of international law and international humanitarian law,” the statement.

 

The Global Sumud Flotilla is the latest in a string of attempts by activists to breach Israel's blockade of the war-torn Gaza Strip, with the last convoy intercepted by Israeli forces only last month.

 

The foreign ministers expressed “serious” concern regarding the safety and security of the civilian participants of the flotilla and called for the immediate release of all detained activists, as well as for full respect for their rights and dignity.

 

They also said that repeated attacks against peaceful humanitarian initiatives “reflect the continued disregard for international law and freedom of navigation.”

 

They also called on the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities, ensure the protection of civilians and humanitarian missions, and take concrete steps to end impunity and ensure accountability for these violations.