ISLAMABAD, May 19 — Pakistan, alongside nine other nations, issued a scathing joint statement on Tuesday condemning the Israeli Navy’s interception of the “Global Sumud Flotilla” in international waters. The civilian maritime mission, carrying international humanitarian activists and vital aid for the besieged Gaza Strip, was boarded and seized in the eastern Mediterranean. The multinational coalition called the assault a blatant violation of freedom of navigation and international humanitarian law, demanding the immediate release of all detained participants, which includes prominent Pakistani humanitarian Saad Edhi.
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Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, Türkiye, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Libya, Maldives, and Spain Regarding the Israeli Assaults on the Global Sumud Flotilla, 18th May 2026 pic.twitter.com/TS99F2w31n
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) May 19, 2026
Quick Facts
- Pakistan and 9 other countries issued a joint statement strongly condemning the raid.
- The coalition includes Turkiye, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Libya, Maldives, and Spain.
- Saad Edhi, grandson of legendary philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi, is among those detained by Israeli forces.
- The flotilla set sail from southern Turkiye on Thursday in its third attempt to break the naval blockade.
- Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu praised the interception, calling the aid mission a “malicious scheme.”
- Prominent global figures, including the sister of the Irish President and several international journalists, are in custody.
The joint statement, released by Pakistan’s Foreign Office, expressed grave concern over the safety and dignity of the peaceful civilian participants. The foreign ministers pointed out that targeting humanitarian vessels in international waters reflects a systemic disregard for international legal frameworks. The ten-nation bloc urged the United Nations and the broader international community to move beyond rhetoric, enforce maritime accountability, and take concrete steps to end Israel’s operational impunity.
The raid has sparked intense domestic concern in Pakistan due to the high-profile detention of Saad Edhi, the son of Edhi Foundation head Faisal Edhi. The humanitarian contingent also includes fifteen Irish citizens—including Margaret Connolly, sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly—and nine Indonesian nationals, including two journalists. This marks the third time the Global Sumud Flotilla has been intercepted at sea, following a similar raid last month where activists, including former Pakistani senator Mushtaq Ahmed, were detained and subsequently deported.
In sharp contrast to the global outcry, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highly praised the naval interception force, congratulating commanders for successfully thwarting what he described as an effort to breach the maritime blockade imposed on Gaza since 2007. The Israeli Foreign Ministry reiterated on social media that it will continue to enforce the blockade, which has severely restricted food, medical supplies, and basic necessities to the enclave’s population throughout the ongoing conflict.
