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The United Nations on Monday called for calm and the peaceful treatment of activists after Israeli forces intercepted a Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla in international waters and detained around 100 participants.
UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said the organization was closely monitoring the situation and emphasized that all individuals aboard the Global Sumud flotilla should remain safe and unharmed.
“We want to make sure that all the people on the flotilla are not harmed. We want to make sure that this is handled in a peaceful manner,” Haq told reporters in New York.
He added that the United Nations has consistently raised concerns over such interceptions on the high seas, stressing that its position remains unchanged.
The Israeli military intercepted the flotilla earlier Monday in international waters, detaining activists aboard vessels attempting to reach Gaza.
The flotilla, consisting of more than 50 boats, had departed from Marmaris on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast carrying 426 participants from 39 countries, including the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, Brazil, and New Zealand.
Organizers said the mission aimed to deliver humanitarian aid and challenge Israel’s blockade on Gaza, in place since 2007.
Israeli forces had previously targeted the same flotilla near Crete on April 29, escalating maritime tensions.