The trade union activists who were detained by Israel in international waters—an incident that prompted significant public reaction—were brought to Istanbul last night under the auspices of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They were safely transferred to Istanbul through the Ministry’s initiative and coordination.

The terror state of Israel has once again targeted international law, human rights, and the common conscience of humanity by intervening against the Global Sumud Flotilla, which carries the voice of human conscience in international waters approximately 1,200 km away from Gaza.

“No Crisis Shall Be Turned into a Pretext for Stripping Workers of Their Rights”

Safe and Healthy Work Is a Fundamental Right of Every Worker, Not a Cost Item

Today, on 28 April, World Day for Safety and Health at Work, we honour with deep respect the memory of all workers across the world who have lost their lives as a result of occupational accidents, work-related diseases, and precarious working conditions. Their loss is not only the grief of their families, but also a shared sorrow for the entire world of labour. This sorrow also strengthens our responsibility to struggle for a safer, healthier, and more just world of work.

There is no end to Israel’s crimes, brutality, and systematic oppression against the Palestinian people. Every instrument of destruction has been used against them; even hunger has been turned into a weapon of war. Yet this, too, has not been enough.

Ali Yalçın, President of the International Labour Confederation (ILC), and Hamza Öksüz, Secretary General of the ILC, met in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, with representatives of CGM-UGSR and SINDALIMENTA, both member organizations of the ILC.