Letter from the State of Palestine condemns Israel’s attack and aggression against the Global Sumud Flotilla (A/ES-10/1046-S/2025/619)

03 October 2025

Agenda item 5

Illegal Israeli actions in Occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Identical letters dated 3 October 2025 from the Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council

I write to you today to draw your attention to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine (see annex), which condemns Israel’s aggression against the Global Sumud Flotilla, in violation of international law and norms, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, humanitarian principles and the human rights of nearly 500 civilians on board the Flotilla. We hereby reiterate that Israel’s occupation is illegal and that, as an occupying Power, it has no authority or sovereignty over Palestine’s territorial waters as they extend from the Gaza Strip and over international waters.

I should be grateful if you would arrange to have the text of the present letter and its annex distributed as a document of the tenth emergency special session of the General Assembly, under agenda item 5, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Riyad Mansour

Minister

Permanent Observer

Annex to the identical letters dated 3 October 2025 from the Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine issued the following statement on 2 October 2025 regarding the flotilla:

The State of Palestine condemns Israel’s attack and aggression against the Global Sumud Flotilla, in violation of international law and norms, including Convention on the Law of the Sea, other humanitarian principles, and the human rights of the participants on board.

The State of Palestine is gravely concerned about the safety of the over 470 participants and holds Israel responsible for their security and wellbeing of as they deliver humanitarian aid to a besieged, starved, and bombed population under genocide.

The State of Palestine recalls that the Global Sumud Flotilla is a peaceful and civilian led initiative aimed at breaking Israel’s inhumane and illegal blockade of the Gaza Strip and put an end to Israel’s starvation policy and genocide, in accordance with international law.

The State of Palestine reiterates that Israel, whose occupation of Palestine was declared illegal by the International Court of Justice, has no authority nor sovereignty over Palestine’s territorial waters, as it extends from the Gaza Strip, and over international waters.

The Global Sumud Flotilla has the right of free passage in international waters, and Israel must not interfere with its freedom of navigation, long recognised under international law. The State of Palestine also reaffirm that the Global Sumud Flotilla equally is permitted to navigate Palestine’s territorial waters to deliver humanitarian aid.

We commend the courageous participants and their determination to break Israel’s siege and end its genocide and call on the international community to extend them protection.