Indonesian Foreign Minister Urges Palestinian Summit In New York To Discuss Blockade And Gaza's Humanitarian Access Guarantee

Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono. (Source: Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

JAKARTA - Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono urged the upcoming Palestinian summit in the United States to discuss issues of Israeli blockade and guarantees of humanitarian access in the Gaza Strip.

Foreign Minister Sugiono said in his posts on social media, following the intercept of a ship carrying activists and humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, Palestine to open an Israeli blockade on Monday.

"International efforts to open maritime corridors should be appreciated, but I don't think it will shift focus from access to aid by land which remains the most urgent need," wrote Foreign Minister Sugiono in a post on social media X, Tuesday, June 10.

Foreign Minister Sugiono said he would urge the United Nations forum to discuss the issue of blockade and access to humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip.

The United Nations, the United Nations will hold a High Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution in New York, USA on June 17-20.

"In various forums, I always call for the opening of all aid routes to Gaza is a must. At the upcoming Palestinian Summit in New York, I will urge the international community, especially the UN DK, act decisively, protect civilians and adopt a resolution to end the blockade and guarantee humanitarian access," explained the Indonesian Foreign Minister.

At the upcoming High-Level Conference on Palestine in New York, I urge the international community-especially the UN Security Council - to act decisively: protect civilians & adopt a resolution that ends the blockade & guarantees sustained humanitarian access

— Menteri Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia (@Menlu_RI) June 9, 2025

At the upcoming High-Level Conference on Palestine in New York, I urge the international community-specially the UN Security Council - to act decisively: protect civilians & adopt a resolution that ends the blockade & guarantees sustainably humanitarian access

As previously reported, the Madleen ship carrying 12 activists and humanitarian aid was intercepted by the Israeli military while trying to penetrate the Gaza blockade on Monday. The humanitarian ship, operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FCC), had the British flag and departed from Sicily, Italy on June 6.

The FCC said the ship was carrying a number of symbolic aids, including rice and baby formula milk. The ship also carries activist Greta Thunberg and 11 cross-border humanitarian activists, including Rima Hassan, a member of the European Parliament from France.

"I strongly condemn the interception of Madleen ships by Israel in international waters when sending humanitarian aid to Gaza. Actions that once again show Israel's indifference to international law and are a severe blow to the suffering of the Gazan people," the Indonesian Foreign Minister criticized.

"Israel's land and sea blocades are a form of collective punishment that exacerbates the risk of mass hunger. By international law ICJ orders, Israel is obliged to ensure humanitarian aid is distributed in a sustainable and unrestricted manner, and ensures the safety of humanitarian workers," said Foreign Minister Sugiono.

Israel had previously said it would intercept the ship and cancel its intention to penetrate the Gaza blockade. In fact, Israel's Defense Minister Katz ordered the military to prevent the humanitarian ship from reaching its destination.

"I instructed the IDF to act so that Madleen does not reach Gaza," Defense Minister Katz said in a statement.

"To Greta who is antisemitic and her friends who spread Hamas propaganda, I clearly say: You should come back, because you will not reach Gaza," he said.

Defense Minister Katz said the blockade was important to Israel's national security as it seeks to eliminate Hamas.

"The Israeli state will not allow anyone to break the sea blockade in Gaza, whose main goal is to prevent the transfer of weapons to Hamas," he said.

Meanwhile, a senior Israeli official said his party could not allow humanitarian ships in which there were humanitarian activists to reach the Gaza Strip, as it could trigger similar shipping waves to oppose Israeli blockade.

The official told Channel 12, if the ship does not turn around and divert its route, the ship will be boarded by Naval command forces and taken to Ashdod port, as quoted by The Times of Israel.

"We surrounded Gaza from all directions to choke Hamas and it was not possible (Gaza) to get any help from any factor left unsupervised by Israel. If we allow a fleet to enter, the masses will follow, and this provocation (by the Greta Thunberg ship) will create a wave of fleets hostile to Israel. We will not allow this to happen," the official said.