Türkiye’s Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz has vehemently condemned the Israeli regime's unlawful interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, branding it a "barbaric" violation of international law and human conscience.

The flotilla, a beacon of global solidarity carrying essential aid to the starving people of Gaza, was brutally attacked in international waters yesterday, October 1, as it approached the besieged enclave—exposing once again Israel's ruthless determination to maintain its genocidal blockade.

Yılmaz's powerful statement, posted on his official social media account, captures the outrage felt by millions worldwide: "The unlawful and barbaric attack by Israel on the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters is unacceptable. I condemn and denounce this attack, which was carried out against the common conscience of humanity. A ceasefire must be established before further crimes against humanity are committed in Gaza, humanitarian aid should be delivered uninterruptedly and sufficiently, and the path toward a permanent two-state solution must be opened."

This condemnation comes at a critical juncture, as Israeli forces unleashed a coordinated assault on the flotilla—a fleet of over 50 civilian vessels crewed by more than 500 activists, parliamentarians, lawyers, and humanitarians from 44 countries. The mission, launched in late August from ports in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Tunisia, aimed to deliver symbolic yet vital shipments of food, medicine, and medical supplies to Gaza, where Israel's 17-month siege has plunged the territory into a man-made famine, killing tens of thousands and displacing nearly the entire population of 2.3 million.

As the vessels entered a "high-risk zone" approximately 70 nautical miles from Gaza's shoreline, Israeli naval commandos and warships sprang into action, ramming the lead vessel Florida at sea and unleashing water cannons on others, including Yulara and Meteque. Communication systems were jammed, radios silenced, and activists left incommunicado, their pleas for help stifled by the aggressors.

Eyewitness accounts and live footage shared by the Global Sumud Flotilla reveal a scene of calculated brutality: Israeli drones, hovering menacingly overhead, dropped explosive devices, sound bombs, and suspected chemical irritants—echoing the ninth documented attack on the fleet just hours earlier. "This is an act of state piracy broadcast live for the world to see," declared one activist via intermittent satellite link, as soldiers boarded vessels like All In and Morgana, detaining unarmed passengers without provocation.

High-profile figures aboard underscore the mission's moral urgency. Climate icon Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla Mandela, and European lawmakers—including Italy's Senator Marco Croatti and MEP Benedetta Scuderi—were among the first seized and dragged to Israel's Ashdod port for interrogation and forced deportation. Video footage released by Israel's Foreign Ministry, intended as propaganda, instead captured Thunberg calmly defying her captors, a stark contrast to the masked commandos surrounding her. Organizers report no serious injuries so far, but the psychological toll—and the message to global solidarity—is unmistakable: Dare to aid Gaza, and face Israel's wrath.

As of Thursday morning, at least 19 vessels have been intercepted and towed to Israeli shores, with 22 Italian nationals among the 450+ detainees. Yet, remarkably, around 30 boats continue their defiant voyage toward Gaza, a testament to the unyielding spirit of sumud—steadfast Palestinian resilience that Israel seeks to crush at every turn. The flotilla's tracking data shows them now just 60 nautical miles out, slowed but unbroken, as Israeli forces circle like vultures.

Yılmaz's words have amplified a swelling chorus of international fury. Turkey's Foreign Ministry labeled the assault "an act of terrorism" that "endangers innocent civilians," while Istanbul's Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched a criminal probe into the detention of 24 Turkish citizens aboard the flotilla. UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese decried the attack as a blatant breach of maritime law, urging governments to enforce the flotilla's right to free passage in international waters—a right affirmed by UN experts as recently as 2024.

Protests erupted overnight across Europe and beyond, with thousands marching in Rome, Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Athens, and London. In Italy, dockworkers called a nationwide strike in "defense of the flotilla and Gaza," while Belgian and French crowds chanted "Free Palestine" and burned Israeli flags in solidarity. "Israel's panic is palpable—they ram peaceful ships because the truth of their siege cannot withstand scrutiny," said one demonstrator in Genoa, where news of the interceptions first broke.

This is not Israel's first rodeo of maritime thuggery. Since 2009, the regime has enforced an illegal naval blockade on Gaza, citing unproven "security threats" while rejecting activists' demands for transparent aid delivery. Past flotillas, like the 2010 Mavi Marmara massacre that claimed nine Turkish lives, faced similar savagery—yet each assault only fuels the global movement for Palestinian liberation.

As Israeli jets pounded Gaza City overnight, killing at least 73 more Palestinians—including children sheltering in tents—Yılmaz's plea for a ceasefire rings truer than ever. The enclave, reduced to rubble and despair, faces "catastrophic hunger" per UN reports, with aid trucks blocked at Rafah while flotilla volunteers risk everything to pierce the blockade. Israel's actions are not defense; they are the very crimes against humanity Yılmaz warns of—collective punishment of an occupied people yearning for freedom. (ILKHA)