KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has denounced ed Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), describing the action as a blatant assault on a peaceful humanitarian mission bound for Gaza.
He said the vessels, which carried unarmed civilians and life-saving aid, were met with intimidation and coercion instead of being allowed safe passage to deliver relief to Palestinians under blockade.
“I condemn in the strongest terms Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla,” Anwar said in a statement today.
The prime minister said Israel’s move to block the convoy was not only an attack on humanitarian principles but also a clear display of contempt for the rights of the Palestinian people and global public conscience.
Anwar stressed that Malaysia would pursue all available diplomatic and legal avenues to hold Israel accountable, especially in matters involving its citizens on board the seized vessels.
“The safety and dignity of our people are paramount, and we will not allow them to be compromised with impunity.”
He reaffirmed Malaysia’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause, saying the government would continue to press for justice and an end to decades of oppression and dispossession.
“We will not relent in demanding an end to the injustice and dispossession that have plagued Palestine for generations,” Anwar said.
The prime minister’s statement followed reports that 13 Malaysians on board five GSF vessels had lost contact with mission coordinators after the flotilla was intercepted by Israeli forces in Gaza waters on Wednesday night (Gaza time).
Eight Malaysians, including singer Zizi Kirana, were confirmed detained by Israeli authorities, while the whereabouts of five others remain unknown.
The flotilla, part of an international effort to break the blockade on Gaza, was carrying humanitarian supplies and volunteers when it was surrounded, jammed with radar interference, and targeted with water cannon by Israeli naval vessels.
