<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the charge d'affaires of the Israeli Embassy in Spain, Dan Poraz, to protest the arrest of the two Spaniards traveling aboard the ship "Handala," belonging to the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla, and to "demand their immediate release," official sources from the Ministry informed <em>The Diplomat </em>on Monday.</strong></h4> The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Spanish Embassy in Tel Aviv mobilized this Sunday to offer protection to Sergio Toribio and Santiago González Vallejo, the two Spaniards traveling on the humanitarian aid ship "Handala," detained by the Israeli Navy as it sailed toward the Gaza Strip. The Freedom Flotilla has denounced that the Israeli Army intercepted the "Handala" on Saturday as it headed to Gaza to break the Israeli blockade and deliver humanitarian aid. According to the organization, the interception was "violent" and occurred approximately 40 nautical miles (about 74 kilometers) off the coast of Gaza. "This interception occurred in international waters outside Palestinian territorial waters in Gaza, in violation of international maritime law," it stated. For its part, the Israeli Foreign Ministry stated in a statement that "the ship is proceeding safely toward the Israeli coast and all passengers are safe" and warned that "unauthorized attempts to violate the blockade are dangerous, illegal, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts." Twenty-one people from twelve countries were on board the Handala: six Americans, four French citizens, two Italians, two Spaniards, two Australians, one Norwegian, one Tunisian, one French-British citizen, one Moroccan, and one Iraqi-American. This is not the first time that Toribio—a 49-year-old mechanic living in Logroño—has been affected by a similar situation. On June 9, the Spanish citizen and other activists traveling aboard the ship "Madleen" (among them activist Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan) reported that they had been attacked by an Israeli drone. A sister of the Spanish activist, Raquel Toribio, told Efe this Sunday that she fears he will not be treated the same way he was in June and stated that her relatives are "nervous and worried" about the lack of information. Both Toribio and the other detained activist, Santiago González Vallejo, recorded a video before leaving for Gaza for publication in case they were intercepted by "the Israeli occupation military forces or by complicit forces of the State of Israel." Podemos Secretary General Ione Belarra has called for the release of the crew members of the humanitarian aid ship.
