Israel attacked Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian flotilla which sailed towards Gaza with humanitarian aid. The Israeli navy seized all the ships and boarded them in international waters under the cover of night. While the crews of those ships and their friends on board were forced by soldiers to relinquish any resistance, they had to be docked at an Israeli port.
The flotilla contained food, medicine and derivatives. Organisers explained that they wished to break the blockade against Gaza and directly provide essential goods to citizens. Israel, however, made clear that without inspection no ship would be allowed to enter Gaza.
The people who were to be dispatched from the ships shouted slogans and waved flags, insisting on their right still to journey. Israeli forces used rubber bullets and concussion grenades against them before they could quell this resistance. Several people sustained injuries and were given immediate medical assistance.
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Global leaders responded with indignation as Governments in South Africa, Turkey and Ireland condemned the attack and called for immediate international action. Protests were held in several cities and demonstrators asked for the liberation of Gaza. Human rights organizations also criticized Israel for hitting out at a mission that openly carried humanitarian aid.
Despite the harsh measures, the Sumud Flotilla organizers vowed that they would continue to dispatch ships. They announced new plans for future convoys and pledged that never were they going to desert Gaza. “We will sail again,” said one leader, “because the people of Gaza need solidarity more today than ever.”
The Sumud Flotilla incident brought back into question the blockade. Gaza supporters called the siege collective punishment, yet Israeli officials maintained that it was a security necessity. This has deepened the fissures and pushed yet another explosive incident in the conflict.
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