KUALA LUMPUR, May 18, 2026 — Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim has strongly condemned Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 in international waters, describing the Zionist regime’s actions as barbaric and a gross violation of human rights and international law.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) today, Anwar said Israeli forces boarded the humanitarian vessels and detained more than 100 activists, including 16 Malaysians. He demanded immediate guarantees for their safety and their prompt release.
“Rejim biadab Zionis Israel telah bertindak memintas flotila kemanusiaan Gaza dan telah pun menahan lebih 100 orang aktivis termasuk 16 aktivis dari Malaysia yang terlibat dalam misi aman membela kemanusiaan sejagat,” Anwar wrote.
He added that the action not only breached maritime law but also exposed Israel’s determination to silence humanitarian voices and suppress support for the Palestinian people.
Malaysia has strongly condemned the incident and is working through diplomatic channels to secure the detainees’ release.
List of Detained Malaysian Activists (as of 7:05 PM, May 18, 2026)
A poster shared alongside Anwar’s statement, sourced from the Sumud Nusantara Command Center (SNCC), lists the following 16 Malaysians with their last known status:
Abodes: Norazman, Zaidi, Farizzal
Gotico: Abdul Samad
Bianca ITA: Dr. Naufal, Muhammad Muhsin
Isobella: Zainal Rashid
Amanda: Ahmad Musa
Josef: Patmanathan
Ferluto: Amirul Afif, Dr. Syakirin
Cactus: Mohammad Syazly, Ahmad Taufik
Themis: Osman, Hazwan Hazim, Mohd Shamsir
Many were marked as last contacted in the afternoon or evening of May 18, with several showing “SOS” indicators.
Background on the Mission
The Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 is an international humanitarian effort carrying aid to Gaza aimed at challenging Israel’s naval blockade. The convoy departed from Turkey earlier this month with hundreds of activists from dozens of countries. Malaysia has actively supported the initiative, with the government monitoring the mission closely in recent days as it entered high-risk waters.
This latest interception comes after a previous incident in April 2026, when Israeli forces detained 10 Malaysians among nearly 200 activists. Those detainees were eventually released.
Anwar stressed that the world cannot remain silent in the face of such oppression.
“Dunia tidak boleh terus tunduk kepada kezaliman dan kebobrokan. Penindasan ke atas warga Palestin dan kepada mereka yang menggerak serta membawa bantuan kemanusiaan mesti dihentikan segera, dan Israel mesti berdepan keadilan dan pertanggungjawaban!” he said.
The Malaysian government continues to engage with international partners, including Turkey, to resolve the situation and ensure the safe return of its citizens.
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