The Foreign Office said it condemned “in the strongest possible terms” what it described as the unlawful interception, detention, and reported mistreatment of humanitarian workers aboard the aid mission, and called for their immediate release.

Organisers and several participating countries condemned the operation, saying the flotilla was a peaceful humanitarian mission carrying activists, journalists, and aid supporters from dozens of countries.

The ministers strongly criticized Israel’s actions against civilian vessels and humanitarian activists, calling them “blatant violations of international law and international humanitarian law.”

Within the past 24 hours alone, at least two people were reported killed and 44 wounded while attempting to access aid