Spain’s Foreign Ministry has summoned Israel’s Charge d’Affaires to protest interception of the Madleen ship, Al Jazeera and Spanish media reported, citing a source at the ministry.

Spanish citizen, Sergio Toribio, is among the activists on the boat.

“The foreign ministry is in contact with the Spaniard in question, with his family and with the Israeli foreign ministry, and is exercising consular protection with regard to our citizen,” foreign ministry sources told the Spanish newspaper El Pais.

Spain’s labour minister criticised Israel’s seizure of the boat and called for a “clear and firm response” from the EU.

“I strongly condemn the seizure of the Madleen, which was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza,” she wrote on Bluesky.

“This violation of international law demands a clear and firm response from the EU. All my solidarity to the volunteers who are being held. We call for their freeing as soon as possible.”