Beyza Binnur Donmez
30 April 2026•Update: 30 April 2026
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Thursday accused Israel of “once again violating international law” with the interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters.
“Israel is once again violating international law by assaulting a civilian flotilla in waters that do not belong to it,” Sanchez said in a post on the US social media platform X.
He said the Spanish government is doing “everything necessary” to protect and assist nationals detained in the incident. According to Foreign Ministry sources, around 30 Spanish citizens were among those detained, adding that about 20 live in Catalonia.
Sanchez said further action was needed at the European level.
“The EU must suspend the association agreement now and demand that (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu comply with the law of our seas,” he concluded.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said naval forces intercepted and seized more than 20 ships from the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea and detained about 175 activists on board. The attack took place near the Greek island of Crete, hundreds of nautical miles (more than 1,000 kilometers) from Israel.
The flotilla, carrying humanitarian aid, set sail two weeks ago from the Italian island of Sicily, with a total of 58 vessels aiming to break Israel’s years-long blockade of Gaza.
Israel has imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, leaving the territory’s 2.4 million population on the verge of starvation.
The Israeli military launched a two-year offensive on Gaza in October 2023, killing more than 72,000 people, injuring more than 172,000 and causing widespread destruction across the territory.