Demonstrators carrying placards and chanting anti-Israel slogans flooded the streets. They expressed anger at Israeli atrocities and showed solidarity with Pakistanis aboard the flotilla, including former Jamaat-i-Islami senator Mushtaq Ahmad.
Pakistan, along with several other countries, strongly condemned Israel’s assault on the aid flotilla. The incident has sparked fresh outrage as activists around the world accuse Israel of targeting humanitarian missions.
The attack on the Global Sumud Flotilla has once again highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and triggered calls for immediate international action.
This attack has intensified anger across Pakistan. Karachi’s protests show how strongly people feel about Gaza and the humanitarian mission. With Pakistanis onboard the flotilla, the issue has become even more personal. Many now believe that international pressure on Israel must increase to stop such actions against aid convoys.
Israeli forces intercepted the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla and detained several activists, including former Pakistani Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan, sparking international concern and protests in Pakistan.
Forces have launched a maritime operation against the Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian convoy carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, and have reportedly detained former Pakistani Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan along with several other participants.
According to a statement by the Pakistan Palestine Forum posted on X (formerly Twitter), Senator Mushtaq was taken into custody by Israeli naval forces after the flotilla entered international waters off the coast of Gaza.
The Pakistan Palestine Forum reported that only one vessel, carrying observers and media personnel assigned to document the mission, managed to evade Israeli forces. According to the group, Syed Uzair Nazami, a representative of the forum, was aboard that observation ship and was able to confirm the interception of Senator Mushtaq s boat.
Read more: Israeli forces intercept Global Sumud Flotilla en route to Gaza
In response to the detentions, the Pakistan Palestine Forum has announced nationwide protests, with demonstrations planned outside the National Press Club in Islamabad and the Lahore Press Club. The group is calling for the immediate release of all detained flotilla participants, including Mushtaq Ahmed Khan.
The Global Sumud Flotilla comprises over 40 civilian boats and more than 500 participants from various countries, united in a mission to break the Israeli naval blockade on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave.
As the flotilla approached the region, Israeli naval vessels reportedly surrounded several boats and forcibly boarded them. According to Israeli media, the military is even considering sinking some of the intercepted vessels — a claim that has drawn international concern.
The flotilla had earlier announced that its vessels had entered a “high-risk zone” approximately 150 nautical miles (278 kilometers) from the Gaza coast — an area where Israel has previously intercepted or attacked aid convoys.
Governments in Spain, Italy, and Greece have formally urged Israel to exercise restraint and ensure the safety of the flotilla participants.
The interception has added to growing global criticism of Israel’s continued blockade of Gaza and its treatment of humanitarian missions, particularly amid the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Strip.
