ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday strongly condemned an Israeli attack on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, calling it an act of barbarity and demanding safe passage for humanitarian assistance to Palestinians.
In a post on X, the PM, currently in London, said: “Pakistan strongly condemns the dastardly attack by Israeli forces on the 40-vessel Samud Gaza flotilla, carrying over 450 humanitarian workers from 44 countries.”
“Their crime was to carry aid for the hapless Palestinian people,” he wrote. “Peace must be given a chance, and humanitarian aid must reach those in need.”
Gaza aid flotilla presses journey, accuses Israel of ‘intimidation’
The Gaza Sumud Flotilla, which set sail from international waters earlier this week, was intercepted by Israeli naval forces in the eastern Mediterranean on Wednesday.
The fleet, organized by international civil society groups, was reportedly carrying medical supplies, food, and humanitarian volunteers aiming to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza. Israeli authorities said the flotilla was attempting to breach a legally enforced maritime blockade, but activists on board and international observers have condemned the operation as an excessive use of force. Among those detained during the naval operation were Pakistani Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamaat-e-Islami and several other Pakistani nationals, according to official sources.
The Foreign Office has confirmed it is in contact with relevant international bodies to ensure their safety and immediate release.
The incident has sparked global condemnation, with human rights groups likening it to the deadly 2010 Mavi Marmara raid, in which Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish activists aboard a similar aid convoy to Gaza.
Pakistan has consistently voiced support for the Palestinian cause and denounced Israeli actions in Gaza as violations of international law. Prime Minister Sharif reiterated that humanitarian efforts must not be criminalized.
“Such acts of aggression only deepen the suffering and delay the prospects of peace,” he added in his post on X.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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