Ireland denounces Israeli attack on Gaza aid flotilla as 'breach of international maritime law'

Ireland's Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Micheal Martin denounced Israel's attack on Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla as a "breach of international maritime law," speaking ahead of the European Political Community meeting in Copenhagen on Thursday.

Asked whether Israel's attack on the flotilla constitutes a "breach of international maritime law," Martin agreed, emphasizing: "If it happened in international waters, then yes."

"It's a humanitarian mission, no threat to anybody other than to highlight and also to bring humanitarian aid into the people of Gaza and it underlines the absolute imperative of getting humanitarian aid into Gaza as quickly as possible," he said.

Martin also reaffirmed that consular assistance will be provided to those detained, emphasizing the "importance" of them being treated "properly."

The Israeli naval forces attacked the international aid flotilla bound for the besieged Gaza Strip and detained 223 activists on board, the organizers said on Thursday.

The Global Sumud Flotilla shared on the US social media company Instagram the names and nationalities of 223 activists aboard the 15 attacked vessels.

The activists aboard the ships attacked by Israel were of various nationalities, including Spaniards, Italians, Brazilians, Turks, Greeks, Americans, Germans, Swedes, British, and French citizens, and many others.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said on the US social media company X that the detained activists were on their way to Israel's Ashdod Port, from which they will be deported to Europe.

The official flotilla tracker showed that 21 vessels have been attacked by the Israeli forces, with 23 others were en route to Gaza.