The flotilla, involving more than 470 participants from 47 countries, was intercepted last week by the Israeli navy on international waters.
Forty-two vessels were seized, and crews, including Sterczewski and other Polish participants, were detained, deported, and subjected to harsh treatment, which he described as “resembling torture” in interviews.
Humanitarian mission to Gaza or “holiday”? Polish MPs clash over Global Sumud flotilla
On Friday, Jan Grabiec, Civic Coalition MP and chief of the Prime Minister's Office, described the mission on TVN24 as “more like a holiday than a mission” after seeing images of the flotilla in Barcelona.
Sterczewski strongly rejected this characterisation in a statement to Polsat News, calling it “irresponsible” and “demonstrating a lack of understanding.” He argued that the humanitarian effort could not be trivialised, likening it to the risks faced by civilians in eastern Poland under drone attacks.
After returning to Poland, Sterczewski said he is catching up on media coverage and stressed that while critics offered advice, they did not suggest any concrete actions.
The politician added that accusations against activists who step in when governments fail risk legitimising ongoing atrocities, and highlighted that the flotilla’s participants did everything they could to raise international awareness of the crisis in Gaza.
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Source: TVN24/Polsat News