JAKARTA - Malaysia demanded the immediate release of 25 citizens detained by Israeli forces during the Global Sumud Flotilla mission off Cyprus on May 18, according to a report from Malaysia’s state-owned publication Bernama on May 20.
The update gives the latest official Malaysian figure after earlier reports said eight Malaysians had been detained as the Gaza-bound aid mission faced interceptions at sea.
Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said the Malaysians were not in Israeli waters when they were detained. “They did not intrude… they were far off the coast of Cyprus. And yet they were intercepted, along with citizens of many other countries,” he said, according to the state-owned publication.
In a separate Bernama report on May 18, the Sumud Nusantara Command Centre confirmed that eight Malaysians had been detained as of 6 p.m. Malaysian time. That report said several flotilla vessels had been intercepted while travelling to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The May 18 Bernama update also said the flotilla was about 241 nautical miles from the Gaza coast when intercepted, citing SNCC director-general Datuk Dr Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby. SNCC said at that point that 41 vessels, including those carrying 21 Malaysians, were still continuing toward Gaza despite security risks.
By May 20, Mohamad Hasan said Malaysia wanted the 25 citizens accorded proper treatment and released immediately. He also thanked Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the Turkish government for helping secure the release of 10 Malaysians detained earlier in a related incident.
AFP reported that Israeli authorities said 430 activists aboard the Gaza-bound flotilla had been transferred to Israeli vessels and were being taken to Israel, where they would be allowed to meet consular representatives.
The flotilla had departed from Turkey with around 50 ships, in the latest attempt by activists to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza. Israel called the mission a political provocation but organisers said the vessels were carrying humanitarian aid.
AFP also reported that Indonesia said nine of its citizens had been arrested by Israel, including two Republika journalists, and that Türkiye and Spain condemned the interception.
