Bulgarian National Detained as Israel Intercepts Gaza Aid Flotilla - Bulgarian Authorities Called on Israel to Respect International Law

A Bulgarian citizen, part of the humanitarian flotilla Global Sumud, has been detained by the Israeli Navy. Vasil Dimitrov, who is from Sofia, himself reported his detention in a video posted on social media, in which he appealed to the Bulgarian government to intervene.

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov on October 2 said that Bulgaria has urged the Israeli authorities to respect international law. The Bulgarian consul in Tel Aviv is expected to visit Dimitrov.

The flotilla consists of around 500 activists from different countries and 40 civilian vessels carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. It was intercepted in Israeli waters after being warned it was entering a military zone.

"My name is Vasil Dimitrov and I am from Sofia, Bulgaria."

With these words Dimitrov begins a video in which he explains that he was kidnapped and is being held by Israeli occupation forces against his will. Dimitrov is part of the crew of Global Sumud, which was transporting medical supplies and other humanitarian aid. The flotilla was detained last night by Israeli naval forces. In his message, the Bulgarian citizen appealed directly to his government:

Vasil Dimitrov:
“Tell my government to stop its complicity with Israel and bring me home. Stop the genocide in Gaza.”

A check by Bulgarian National Television’s News on Dimitrov’s official social media profile found that yesterday afternoon he had already posted from on board the vessel:

“The moment is approaching when there is an extremely serious risk that Israeli forces will stop us, abduct us from international waters, and arrest us in Israel against our will and in violation of international maritime law. It is highly likely that the Israeli government will try to present us as illegal migrants or terrorists, as they usually do with those who disagree with them.”

Dimitrov also shared a tracker showing the ship’s movements, explaining that the flotilla’s aim was to deliver humanitarian aid in the form of food and medicine, and to open a humanitarian corridor to assist the people of Gaza, who he said are victims of “a brutal genocide orchestrated by the Israeli government.”

photo: BTA

Following Dimitrov’s appeal to the Bulgarian government, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov responded immediately, noting that the Foreign Ministry had been monitoring the flotilla’s movements since the beginning of its mission.

Rosen Zhelyazkov, Prime Minister:
“The activists themselves are aware that martial law has been declared in Israel, so the risk they took is understood and taken consciously. We have contacted the Israeli authorities, informed them that there is a Bulgarian citizen, and called on them to comply with the norms of international law. We will have more information when our local consul meets Vasil Dimitrov."

The situation was also addressed in the Bulgarian Parliament.

Boyko Borissov, Chairman of GERB–UDF Parliamentary Group:
“First, the Bulgarian state should cjheck what exactly he was doing there. After that, we should do everything necessary, as we have always done for every Bulgarian citizen.”

Kostadin Kostadinov, Chairman of ‘Vazrazhdane’ Parliamentary Group:
“What matters to us is the reaction of the Bulgarian state, because we are concerned – practice has shown that, when it comes to detained Bulgarians abroad, the Bulgarian state usually fails to react.”

The Israeli authorities, for their part, announced that the vessels of the humanitarian flotilla had been stopped safely, and the crews taken to an Israeli port.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that it had promptly informed the Israeli authorities that a Bulgarian citizen was among the passengers on one of the ships. The Bulgarian Embassy in Tel Aviv has requested consular access to him, as well as guarantees that his rights will be respected.

The raid sparked protests against Israel in various parts of the world. In a post on social network X, the Israeli Foreign Ministry wrote that passengers from the intercepted ships were en route to Israel, where deportation procedures would begin.