Sumud/X Global Flotilla
Maria Matos and Gonçalo Dias. Sumud Global Flotilla, with around 50 vessels, had left Turkey.
Israel once again showed that it does not allow any violation of the naval blockade in the Gaza Strip: halted the voyage of the Global Sumud flotilla.
As close to 50 vessels, in a humanitarian spirit, they had left Turkey last week and were intercepted this Monday off the coast of Cyprus, in international waters.
The flotilla’s own X account announced and showed that military ships, with soldiers, were surrounding the boats.
RED ALERT!
Military vessels are currently intercepting our fleet and IOF forces are boarding the first of our boats in broad daylight.
We demand safe passage for our legal, non-violent humanitarian mission. Governments must act now to stop these illegal acts or piracy meant to…
— Global Sumud Flotilla (@gbsumudflotilla)
According to the Government of Israel, “two violent Turkish organizations, Mavi Marmara and IHH [Fundação de Ajuda Humanitária]participate in this provocation” – and its objective is “to serve Hamas, to divert attention from the organization’s refusal [Hamas] to disarm and disrupt the progress of President Trump’s peace plan.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the operation commander for “extraordinary work” in thwarting “a malicious plan.”
The Turkish Government classifies this incident as a “new act of piracy”.
Two Portuguese
Source from the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that two Portuguese were in this flotilla. Both from Porto.
They are Maria Beatriz Barroca Bartilotti Matos and Gonçalo Dias, who were on the vessel Tenaz.
None of them contacted the Portuguese State. The families contacted the Portuguese authorities to “signalize the participation of their family members”.
Maria presents herself as “an internationalist, ecologist and activist for the rights of migrants with the collective ‘Humans Before Borders’”.
Gonçalo says he is a “human rights activist, general practitioner and harm reducer with experience in search and rescue”, working “mainly on the streets in community intervention teams” in Porto.
