The way they boarded (the boats) and where they did it, in international waters, is unacceptable, says Belgium's Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot according to AFP.
Earlier on Thursday, Spain's Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares summoned Israel's chargé d'affaires Dana Erlich.
A total of 65 Spaniards were on board the Gaza convoy Global Sumud Flotilla's boats, says Albares, including Barcelona's former mayor, Ada Colau.
There were also several EU parliamentarians. The EU Parliament's Green Party group is demanding that Israel immediately release the Italian member Benedetta Scuderi.
Also, French Rima Hassan and French-Swedish Emma Fourreau from the EU Parliament's left group were part of the convoy.
”Put pressure on Sweden”
Representatives for Fourreau say that they have not heard from her or anyone else on board the boat Alma, where climate activist Greta Thunberg was also on, after the boarding on Wednesday evening.
I ask you to put pressure on the Swedish and French governments to demand that I and all my comrades be released immediately, says Fourreau in a pre-recorded video message on X.
Italy says that 22 of its citizens have been arrested, and that they are working intensively to get them home as soon as possible.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni simultaneously repeats her criticism of the convoy:
I continue to believe that this does not benefit the Palestinian people.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry calls Israel's "attack" on the convoy a "terrorist act".
Mandela's grandson participated
Prosecutors in Istanbul have launched an investigation into the 24 Turkish citizens who are now in Israeli custody, reports the Anatolia news agency.
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa urges Israel to immediately release the activists, including Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla Mandela, one of six South Africans on board the flotilla's ships.
Condemnations also come from Brazil – with 15 citizens on board the convoy's ships – Colombia, Pakistan, and Malaysia.
The press freedom organization Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) says that a total of 32 journalists were on board the convoy and demands that they be released.
Around 15 Swedes were part of the convoy, said the Swedish Foreign Ministry last week. On Wednesday evening, Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told TT that Sweden's embassy in Tel Aviv is in contact with Israeli authorities.
