ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: Pakistan said on Thursday it was working with international partners to secure the release of its citizens in the Gaza aid flotilla, which was intercepted by Israeli forces, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif applauded their “dignified participation” and called for their immediate return.
Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla carrying aid and activists from around the world, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg and former Pakistani senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan, to Gaza in the early hours of the day.
Cameras broadcasting live feeds from the boats showed Israeli soldiers sporting helmets and night vision goggles boarding the ships, while passengers huddled together in life vests with their hands up.
Pakistan’s foreign office said it strongly condemned the interception of the flotilla to deliver much needed humanitarian aid as protests erupted in Italy and Colombia over Israeli action. Demonstrations were also called in Greece, Ireland and Türkiye, while Italian unions called a general strike for Friday.
“Pakistan has unequivocally condemned Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a vital humanitarian mission embodying global solidarity and moral resolve,” the foreign office spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan, said in a statement.
“The Israeli actions constitutes a grave violation of international law.”
“The safety and well-being of Pakistani citizens aboard the flotilla are of paramount importance,” he continued. “As Pakistan does not recognize Israel, we are working closely with international partners in the region to secure their immediate release and ensure their safety.”
Khan recalled that Pakistan and 15 other nations had issued a joint statement expressing concern for the flotilla’s security on Sept. 16.
“Pakistan continues to coordinate with allied nations to safeguard its nationals, reaffirming its commitment to their swift and safe return,” he added.
Gaza has faced a significant humanitarian crisis since Israel imposed a blockade in March, severely restricting access to food, water and medical supplies. Aid agencies and the United Nations have warned of mass starvation and rising child malnutrition in the Palestinian enclave, home to around two million people, where only a few humanitarian trucks have been allowed in.
The flotilla was an international attempt by peace activists to break the blockade.
The Pakistani prime minister said he commended the “dignified participation” of Pakistani citizens in the effort, naming those who enlisted for the journey in a social media post.
“This initiative represents the peace-loving aspirations of the Pakistani people, their struggle for justice, and their spirit of helping those in need,” he noted. “The Government of Pakistan supports the principles of respect for human life, safe access and uninterrupted aid, and strongly calls for the return of its citizens while remaining committed and prayerful for their safety, dignity and earliest possible repatriation.”
The flotilla, which set sail in late August, was transporting medicine and food to Gaza and consisted of more than 40 civilian vessels with about 500 parliamentarians, lawyers and activists.
It was the latest sea-borne attempt to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, much of which has been turned into a wasteland by almost two years of war that has killed over 65,000 Palestinians.
The former Pakistani senator’s wife, Humaira Tayyaba, told Arab News they spoke to Khan on Wednesday night and he had informed them that the main ship of the flotilla had been intercepted and their ship might also face obstruction.
“At 2:45 am [Pakistan time], he sent his last voice note, and since then, we have lost all contact” she said.
She demanded that the government work for her husband’s safe release if he had been arrested by Israel.
The flotilla had hoped to arrive in Gaza on Thursday morning before it was intercepted. Last week, it was attacked by drones, which dropped stun grenades and itching powder on the vessels, causing damage but no injuries.
Israel did not comment on that attack, though it said it would use any means to prevent the boats from reaching Gaza.
