Arab countries: Arab nations on Thursday strongly condemned Israel's assault on an aid flotilla sailing to the Gaza Strip as a "flagrant violation of international law."

According to Anadolu Agency, Oman's Foreign Ministry labeled the Israeli attack on the Global Sumud Flotilla as "another violation of all international and humanitarian laws." A ministry statement warned that the continuation of "such inhumane acts, at a time when international calls are rising to end the famine in Gaza, exposes a systematic policy of using starvation as a weapon of war."

Jordan also denounced the attack, describing it as "a blatant violation of international law, a threat to freedom of navigation and an endangerment of civilian lives." The Foreign Ministry stated it was closely monitoring the situation of Jordanian citizens aboard the flotilla and held Israel responsible for their safety.

Qatar condemned the assault, calling it "a flagrant violation of international law and a threat to maritime security." In a statement, the Qatari Foreign Ministry called for an urgent investigation into the attack and demanded that "those responsible be held accountable."

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry decried the Israeli attack as "a violation of international law and norms, including the Convention on the Law of the Sea, other humanitarian principles, and the human rights of the participants on board."

Kuwait's Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya informed the state news agency KUNA that his ministry was closely monitoring the situation of Kuwaiti nationals detained from aboard the flotilla. He said his ministry was exerting "all possible efforts to ensure the safety of the citizens and is working for their immediate release."

The Bahraini Foreign Ministry also stated it was closely following the situation of Bahraini citizens detained by Israeli forces aboard the convoy to secure their release as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the Tripoli-based Libyan government held Israeli authorities fully responsible for the safety of several Libyan citizens aboard the flotilla. "We are closely following the detention of several of our citizens aboard the Omar al-Mukhtar vessel, which was heading to the Gaza Strip to deliver urgent humanitarian aid to our besieged people in the enclave," the Libyan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Israeli naval forces attacked the flotilla as it approached Gaza's coast late Wednesday, detaining at least 443 activists on board, organizers said. The International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza (ICBSG) confirmed that 22 ships had been attacked and seized by Israeli forces, with 19 believed to have been attacked, though not yet documented.

Of the four vessels still remaining, two support ships turned back, while the vessel Marinet continued sailing toward Gaza but remained far away after a late arrival due to technical malfunctions. The flotilla, loaded mainly with humanitarian aid and medical supplies, set sail at the end of August. It marked the first time in years that around 50 ships sailed together toward Gaza, carrying hundreds of civilian supporters.

Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza, home to nearly 2.4 million people, for nearly 18 years, tightening the siege in March by closing border crossings and blocking food and medicine deliveries, which has pushed the enclave into famine. Since October 2023, Israeli bombardment has killed more than 66,200 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The UN and rights groups have repeatedly warned that the enclave is becoming uninhabitable, with starvation and disease spreading rapidly.