Madrid: Spanish lawmakers on Monday denounced the recent Israeli attack on the Gaza-bound Global Sumud aid flotilla in international waters. The flotilla, which was on a mission to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, was intercepted by the Israeli army, leading to the detention of around 100 activists.

According to Anadolu Agency, Ione Belarra, leader of the Podemos party, took to the US social media platform X to express her outrage. "Israel is attacking and kidnapping the Global Sumud Flotilla right in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. And it does so with total impunity while Europe continues to be complicit with the genocidaires," Belarra stated. She urged the public to mobilize in Madrid later in the day to protest this latest intervention.

Irene Montero, a Member of the European Parliament for Podemos, echoed Belarra's sentiments on X, criticizing the lack of action from governments and the European Commission. "Once again Israel hijacks ships with humanitarian aid for Gaza in the middle of the Mediterranean without anyone doing anything. Governments and the European Commission are responsible for everything the genocidaires do to them," Montero remarked.

The flotilla, comprising more than 50 boats, had set sail on Thursday from the Turkish Mediterranean district of Marmaris, aiming to challenge the Israeli blockade on Gaza that has been in place since 2007. The mission involved 426 participants, including 96 Turkish activists, and individuals from 39 other countries such as Germany, the US, Argentina, and Australia.

This is not the first incident of its kind, as Israeli forces previously attacked the aid flotilla off the coast of the Greek island of Crete on April 29, resulting in the deportation of the activists on board.