Ireland voices concern over drone attack on Gaza-bound Sumud Flotilla

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The Irish foreign minister on Wednesday said he is extremely concerned over the developments involving Global Sumud Flotilla after the convoy was targeted by drones overnight off the coast of Greece.

"The welfare and safety of people aboard that flotilla has to be a priority of the international community," Simon Harris said in a statement.

Underlining that Irish officials are in direct contact with a designated government point of contact for the Global Movement to Gaza delegation of the Global Sumud Flotilla, he said that Irish Department of Foreign Affairs will provide consular assistance to any Irish citizens affected.

"It is clear what international law allows and does not allow, and it is clearly a breach of international law to have any activity that is targeting civilians or a humanitarian flotilla," the foreign minister said, stressing that what has happened is "clearly not acceptable."

Harris added that he has spoken directly with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and to EU counterparts about collectively raising their concerns in Tel Aviv and considering what can be done to ensure the safety and well-being of all those on board the flotilla.

"I also intend to raise the matter publicly in my intervention at the United Nations during the Global Alliance for Implementation of the Two-State Solution meeting," Harris said.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, seeking to break Israel’s blockade on Gaza, came under drone attack overnight off the coast of Greece, Amnesty France said on US social media platform X.

The flotilla, made up of about 50 ships, set sail earlier this month with the aim of breaking Israel’s blockade and delivering humanitarian aid, particularly medical supplies, to Gaza, where 2.4 million Palestinians have been under siege for 18 years.

UN investigators recently concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, where over 65,400 people have been killed since October 2023.