TEHRAN, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Thursday strongly condemned Israel's interception of international humanitarian aid vessels and the detention of their passengers.

He made the remarks in a statement hours after Israel confirmed on Wednesday that it had detained several ships from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) in the Mediterranean Sea earlier in the day and was transferring the passengers to an Israeli port.

Baghaei denounced Israel's "repeated attack on the GSF flotilla and detention of the supporters of the oppressed people of Gaza," while praising the humanitarian move by different countries' activists and public groups in support of the Palestinian people and their efforts to break the siege of the Gaza Strip.

He described Israel's attack on the convoy as a "clear violation of international rules and a terrorist action."

The flotilla, comprising some 50 vessels with over 500 volunteers from more than 40 countries, aims to challenge Israel's naval blockade and deliver food and medical aid to Palestinians. ■