A Turkish citizen who joined the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), an aid mission bound for the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, condemned Israel for intercepting the flotilla after being released from detention.
Israel has blocked several international aid flotillas from reaching Gaza in recent months. Last week, the Alma ship of the Sumud Flotilla was illegally intercepted and boarded by Israeli forces.
Turkish citizen and captain Onur Murat Kolgu was one of the activists on board. He was sent back to Türkiye after being detained by Israeli forces.
He shared the experience in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), stressing the mission was completely based on humanitarian purposes.
"The Sumud Flotilla was not launched as belonging to any nation or any religious element, but as a completely civilian initiative—an initiative of civilians from all nations who felt a sense of conscience and humanitarian responsibility. On our ship, there were people from 14 different nations. The purpose of the Sumud Flotilla is to break the illegal blockade on Gaza, to open a humanitarian corridor, and at the same time to pressure governments to stop this genocide. That is our goal," Kolgu said.
Kolgu recalled the attacks by Israeli drones, saying that he barely survived.
"When we arrived in Tunisia, while we were there, our flagship, the Famil ship, was attacked by a drone. An incendiary bomb was dropped from a drone. On the second day, our ship, the second flagship Alma, was also attacked by a drone. We told them over the radio that we were not going to Israel, but to Palestine. Despite that, first they came with drones and conducted surveillance. Later, assault boats came and seized the ship," he said.
Kolgu said regardless of the interception, the mission was still successful in drawing more global attention to the humanitarian issue in Gaza.
"We must constantly keep Gaza on the agenda. This is a humanitarian issue. It is not a religious or national issue. In fact, in a way, we became a means for people to awaken, for the awakened to become more awake. In this sense, I think this mission has been fully successful," he said.
Turkish crew member on Gaza-bound flotilla condemns illegal interception, detention
