The Israeli defence forces have detained as many as 500 rights activists aboard a new Gaza-bound flotilla, including Pakistani aid volunteers, who were sailing to Palestine for providing humanitarian supplies to the war-torn people of Gaza.
Pakistan’s largest charity organization’s head Faisal Edhi said in a video statement on Monday that his son Saad Edhi, who joined the global Sumud Flotilla last week, has been detained among others by the IDF at international waters near Cyprus.
Edhi said the flotilla had departed from Marmaris, Türkiye, on Wednesday night with more than 500 activists from different countries onboard. He said the Flotilla has been intercepted in international waters, which is a blatant violation of the international law.
He said the whereabouts of his son and other aid workers were still unascertained as their mobiles phones had also been taken by the Israeli forces.
Faisal Edhi condemned the illegal act by the Israeli forces and demanded of Pakistan and the international community to make efforts for ascertaining the whereabouts of the detained activists and ensure the release of aid activists without any harm.
Israel had earlier seized the Flotilla aimed to provide humanitarian supplies to the people of Gaza.
The Edhi Foundation had earlier said in the statement that Saad had overseen the purchase of humanitarian supplies in Türkiye days before boarding the flotilla.
The foundation said the aid was being carried by the Global Sumud Flotilla, including ration supplies, dry food, medicines, baby formula milk and other essential items intended for civilians in Gaza.
