Bulgarian, Part of Humanitarian Flotilla to Gaza, Is Among Those Detained by Israel

Israeli naval forces have intercepted boats from the humanitarian flotilla “Sumud.” Among those detained is a Bulgarian citizen, according to a post on the flotilla’s official social media channels.

So far, the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not confirmed the report. The interception sparked protests against Israel in several countries.

According to the flotilla’s Instagram post, the Bulgarian onboard is Vasil Nikolaev Dimitrov, who was on the vessel “Grande Blu.” Vasil Dimitrov, from Sofia, shared a video on social media confirming his detention and urged the Bulgarian government to intervene. In one video, he says: “My name is Vasil Dimitrov, I am from Sofia, Bulgaria. Stop the genocide in Gaza.”

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The vessel is currently held near Port Said. Tel Aviv reported that the boats were stopped safely and the crews were accommodated at an Israeli port. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was also on board one of the boats. The flotilla was warned to turn back as it approached an active military zone.

Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain: “From the beginning, I have told the Israeli government that Spanish citizens aboard the flotilla will have our full diplomatic protection. They are not a threat to Israel, and I hope Netanyahu’s government does not threaten them either.”

The flotilla called the detention illegal and described it as an “act of desperation.” Among those detained was French MEP Rima Hassan, who was seen throwing her phone overboard before the Israeli forces boarded. In response, Colombia expelled Israeli diplomats. Protests erupted in Istanbul, Tunis, Athens, and Buenos Aires.

Photo by AP/BTA

Mohamed Kisman, a protester, said: “These ships, with fully civilian crews including nine Turkish citizens, have been detained illegally. We are protesting here with several civil rights organizations. Israel’s actions are completely wrong. The main issue we are protesting is the indifference shown by leaders of Muslim countries.”

The global “Sumud” flotilla is a humanitarian mission carrying aid to Gaza, consisting of over 40 civilian vessels with a crew of around 500 activists, lawyers, and politicians. It serves as a symbol of global opposition to Israel’s maritime blockade, which restricts the delivery of humanitarian aid.