The Maldives has called for no illegal measures to be taken against ships traveling to break the Gaza blockade. The Maldives made this call in a statement issued jointly by the foreign ministers of 16 countries, including Maldivian Foreign Minister Dr. Abdulla Khaleel. The ships currently traveling to break the Gaza blockade, or the Global Freedom Flotilla, is a journey undertaken by citizens from 44 countries. The statement issued by the foreign ministers of 16 countries, among the 44 nations represented on these ships, said that the Global Freedom Flotilla is traveling to provide humanitarian aid. They also stated that this is an activity carried out to raise awareness about the current plight of Gaza’s residents and called for an immediate cessation of the war currently being waged by the Jewish state.
The statement by the foreign ministers emphasized that this is a peaceful journey aimed at providing humanitarian assistance, and that both these objectives are being pursued within the framework of international law and international human rights law. Therefore, the statement called for refraining from any actions contrary to international law to stop this journey. The statement also included examples of what would be considered such actions. It highlighted that attacking the flotilla vessels in international waters or illegally arresting crew members would violate international human rights law and international law.
In addition to the Maldives, the countries participating in issuing this statement are Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Ireland, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Qatar, Oman, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, and Turkey. The Global Freedom Flotilla is working to break the Gaza blockade and deliver food and humanitarian aid needed by the area. Among those traveling to Gaza on the Global Freedom Flotilla vessels are human rights activists, some members of parliaments from Western countries, and some celebrities from various nations.
