May 20, 2026 | 12:01 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono said the government has not yet been able to establish direct communication with Indonesian citizens being detained by the Israeli Navy after the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) 2.0 humanitarian mission bound for Gaza.According to Sugiono, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry has been coordinating with authorities in Turkey and Jordan to monitor the condition of the detained Indonesians.“So far, the information we have received remains limited because communication access is still restricted,” Sugiono said at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.Despite the communication difficulties, Sugiono said the government continues to monitor developments closely and maintain coordination with authorities in both countries.He also expressed appreciation for the volunteers participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla mission, saying their involvement reflected international concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza Strip.The secretary-general of the Gerindra Party also expressed hope that the detained Indonesians remain safe and can return home soon.“This spirit deserves appreciation. We hope they are in good condition. We continue to coordinate because we do not have direct relations,” Sugiono said.Separately, Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vahd Nabyl A. Mulachela confirmed that nine Indonesian citizens were detained after Israeli forces intercepted the humanitarian flotilla in international waters.Among the nine Indonesians were three journalists from national media outlets: Bambang Noroyono and Thoudy Badai from Republika, and Andre Prasetyo Nugroho from Tempo.Nabyl said the Indonesian government is maximising all diplomatic and consular channels to ensure protection for the detained citizens.He added that the efforts would continue until all Indonesian participants in the Global Sumud Flotilla mission are able to safely return home.“Indonesia urges the Israeli government to immediately release all ships and international humanitarian mission crew members being detained,” Nabyl said in a written statement to Antara on Wednesday.Read: Indonesia Says 9 Nationals Detained in Israel Gaza Flotilla RaidClick here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
