Following a complaint by government coalition partner United Left (IU), the Communist Party, and some civil society organizations, National Court Judge Francisco de Jorge decided to open an investigation into Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and a senior military officer.
The investigation focuses on the crime of unlawful detention that occurred during the intervention against the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters on October 1, 2025. Judge de Jorge stated that the National Court has jurisdiction to investigate this complaint because several Spanish-flagged vessels were involved in the incident.
The Spanish judge also announced that he will apply to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to determine whether the events in question can be included in an investigation into genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity. It was stated that the investigation into the unlawful detentions on the Spanish-flagged boats will continue and that all urgent procedures will be carried out.
Background of the Sumud Flotilla
The Global Sumud Flotilla first set sail for the Mediterranean on September 13, 2025, with the aim of breaking Israel's blockade on Gaza and delivering humanitarian aid to the region. The Israeli military intervened in international waters on both occasions when the flotilla attempted to reach Gaza, including its second attempt last April, and unlawfully detained the flotilla members.