Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry said five Indonesian citizens were detained after Israeli forces boarded flotilla vessels approximately 250 nautical miles from Gaza’s coast, while four other Indonesians remained aboard two of the 10 boats still heading toward the territory. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said 16 Malaysians had also been detained during the operation.

The flotilla coalition, comprising more than 50 boats and nearly 500 participants from 45 countries, departed from Turkiye last week on what organizers described as the final leg of a mission to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza and protest Israel’s restrictions on aid access.

“The situation on the ground remains highly dynamic,” Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang said in a video statement, adding that Indonesian nationals still at sea remained vulnerable to interception by Israeli forces.

Indonesia urged Israel to release all detained activists and vessels and allow humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians “in accordance with international humanitarian law,” the ministry said.

Video footage circulating online showed Israeli naval personnel approaching several vessels in speedboats before boarding them in daylight on Monday. Organizers from the Global Sumud Flotilla said at least 41 boats had been intercepted and 337 participants detained.

Anwar said Malaysia was coordinating with other governments to secure the activists’ release. In a statement posted on social media, he said the interception violated international law and obstructed humanitarian relief efforts for Gaza’s civilian population.

Israeli authorities have not publicly detailed the status of those detained. Activists from several Asian countries, including South Korea, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, were also reported to be among those taken into custody.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono joined counterparts from Turkiye, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Jordan, Libya, the Maldives, Pakistan and Spain in issuing a joint statement condemning attacks on civilian vessels and what they described as arbitrary detentions of humanitarian activists.

The ministers said such actions constituted violations of international law and called for the immediate release of all detainees while urging respect for the activists’ rights and safety.

The latest interception follows similar incidents in recent months involving aid flotillas attempting to reach Gaza. Last month, Israeli forces intercepted more than 20 boats near the Greek island of Crete and detained roughly 175 activists, according to organizers.
Humanitarian conditions in Gaza have continued to deteriorate amid ongoing Israeli military operations following the outbreak of the war in October 2023.

The United Nations has said approximately 1.8 million people in Gaza have been displaced and remain heavily dependent on humanitarian assistance amid mounting shortages of food, medicine and shelter.

The Israeli foreign ministry said Spanish activist Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian activist Thiago Avila were expelled after being arrested on April 29 when Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters and escorted the vessel to Israel.

According to the foreign ministry, Abu Keshek was suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organization, while Avila was suspected of illegal activity. Both activists rejected the allegations, saying they had participated in a humanitarian mission aimed at delivering aid to civilians in Gaza and describing their detention outside Israeli territorial waters as unlawful.

The activists were part of a second Global Sumud Flotilla mission launched from Spain on April 12 in an attempt to breach Israel’s long-standing blockade on Gaza by sea.

Images released from court proceedings earlier this month showed both men appearing before Israeli judicial authorities following their detention.

Israel has maintained tight restrictions on Gaza since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007, citing security concerns and the need to prevent weapons smuggling. Hamas, which governs much of the enclave, is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States and several Western governments.

International scrutiny over access to humanitarian aid has intensified during the Gaza war triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. The conflict has displaced large portions of Gaza’s population and sharply increased dependence on external assistance.

Humanitarian agencies and international organizations have repeatedly warned that aid deliveries into Gaza remain insufficient to meet civilian needs amid widespread destruction and deteriorating living conditions.

The flotilla interception has also drawn criticism from some United Nations experts and rights advocates, who have questioned the legality of detaining activists operating in international waters.