While 428 Global Sumud Flotilla volunteers remained detained after their illegal kidnapping, 37 MEPs co-signed the following letter.

Israeli Occupation Forces fast boat participating in abduction of Global Sumud Flotilla

On 20 May, while 428* Global Sumud Flotilla volunteers remained detained after their illegal kidnapping, 37 Members of the EU Parliament circulated and co-signed the following letter. While the flotilla volunteers were just released, the demand for accountability remains the same:

The Global Sumud Flotilla letter

On 18 May 2026, Israeli naval forces violently abducted the humanitarian workers of the Global Sumud Flotilla in the international waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

Their abduction constitutes yet another flagrant violation of the rights and principles enshrined in EU law. A previous interception of this same flotilla on 29 April produced documented testimony of systematic torture, severe physical abuse and sexual violence against detained participants.

The EU–Israel Association Agreement contains binding human rights obligations. Those obligations are being openly and repeatedly violated. Continued inaction by European institutions renders the EU complicit in this pattern of impunity.

We therefore demand:

  • Immediate suspension of the EU–Israel Association Agreement pending compliance with its human rights provisions; Immediate and unconditional release of all detained flotilla participants.
  • An independent international inquiry into the full scope of EU member state complicity in the abduction, detention, and documented physical and sexual violence inflicted upon flotilla participants by Israeli forces. Europe cannot continue to look away. Each failure to act is a signal to Israel that there is no cost to lawlessness. That signal must end now.

Signatories

  • Pernando Barrena MEP (The Left).
  • Li Andersson MEP (The Left).
  • Saskia Bricmont MEP (Greens / EFA).
  • Ana Miranda MEP (Greens / EFA).
  • Sandro Ruotolo MEP (S & D).
  • Diana Riba MEP (Greens / EFA).
  • Manon Aubry MEP (The Left).
  • Estrella Galán MEP (The Left).
  • Danilo Della Valle MEP (The Left).
  • Brando Benifei MEP (S & D).
  • Benedetta Scuderi MEP (Greens / EFA).
  • Catarina Martins MEP (The Left).
  • Per Clausen MEP (The Left).
  • Damien Careme MEP (The Left).
  • Irene Montero MEP (The Left).
  • Isa Serra MEP (The Left).
  • Hanna Gedin MEP (The Left).
  • Dario Tamburrano MEP (The Left).
  • Aodhán ó Ríordáin MEP (S & D).
  • Rima Hassan MEP (The Left).
  • Giuseppe Antoci MEP (The Left).
  • Konstantinos Arvanitis MEP (The Left).
  • Özlem Demirel MEP (The Left).
  • Mimmo Lucano MEP (The Left).
  • Mélissa Camara MEP (Greens / EFA).
  • Leïla Chaibi MEP (The Left).
  • Anthony Smith MEP (The Left).
  • Ilaria Salis MEP (The Left).
  • Cecilia Strada MEP (S & D).
  • Vicent Marzà MEP (Greens / EFA).
  • Matjaž Nemec MEP (S & D).
  • Maria Ohisalo MEP (Greens / EFA).
  • Villy Søvndal MEP (Greens / EFA).
  • Annalisa Corrado MEP (S & D).
  • Lynn Boylan MEP (The Left).
  • Kathleen Funchion MEP (The Left).
  • Rudi Kennes MEP (The Left).

*At the time of publication, 420 Global Sumud Flotilla volunteers remain captive.

Featured image via Global Sumud Flotilla

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