KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA Oct 2, 2025 – The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH), Malaysia’s prominent civil society group advocating for democratic reforms, issued a scathing condemnation on Thursday of Israel’s military interception of a humanitarian aid convoy bound for Gaza, demanding the immediate release of detained crew members, including 12 Malaysians.
In a strongly worded press statement, BERSIH decried the seizure of nine vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) – named Deir Yassine/Mali, Huga, Spectre, Adara, Alma, Sirius, Aurora, Grande Blue, and Hio – which were en route to deliver essential supplies such as food, medicine, crutches, and infant formula to the besieged Palestinian enclave.
“Israel has abducted the crew on board, 12 of whom are Malaysians,” the statement read, urging the international community to unite in condemnation and press for the activists’ swift liberation. It further called for Israeli forces to withdraw from the intercepted ships, emphasizing that the operation occurred in international waters near Gaza, where Israel maintains a longstanding blockade.
BERSIH accused Israel of flouting international law, citing rulings from bodies like the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that have labeled its actions in Gaza as genocidal. “Israel has no jurisdiction in international waters, especially in Gaza waters, which they are blockading to prevent humanitarian aid from reaching the people,” the group asserted.
The flotilla’s mission, part of a broader international effort to challenge the blockade and provide relief amid the ongoing crisis in Gaza, underscores escalating global tensions over humanitarian access. BERSIH framed the incident as a direct assault on global solidarity, declaring its “firm solidarity with fellow GSF activists and the people of Gaza in the sovereign state of Palestine.”
As of the statement’s release, the fate of the detained crew remained unclear, with no immediate response from Israeli authorities. BERSIH, known for its role in pushing electoral transparency in Malaysia, has increasingly voiced positions on international human rights issues.