Global condemnations have poured in after Israel stormed the humanitarian vessel Madleen in international waters, which was en route toward the besieged Gaza Strip amid the Israeli genocidal war.
Israeli forces attacked Madleen Gaza-bound aid ship and abducted the crew as the vessel approached the coastal waters of the besieged Palestinian territory early on Monday.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg was among 12 international campaigners aboard the Madleen. “Game of Thrones” actor Liam Cunningham and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament of Palestinian descent, were also onboard.
Turkey slams seizure as violation of international law
In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry slammed the seizure of the vessel, which was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza and included Turkish nationals on board.
“The intervention of the Israeli forces against the ship Madleen, which set sail to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, including our citizens on board, while it was in international waters, is a clear violation of international law,” it said.
“This heinous act by the Netanyahu [cabinet], which threatens the freedom of navigation and maritime security, once again demonstrates that Israel is acting as a terrorist state,” the ministry added.
Turkish-Israeli relations reached a low point after six civilian ships of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla were raided by the regime on 31 May 2010 in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea.
During the struggle, nine activists were killed, including eight Turkish nationals and one Turkish American, and many were wounded.
France calls for immediate return of 6 citizens
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot emphasized France’s priority to “facilitate the rapid return” of its six citizens detained aboard the Madleen.
In an official media statement, he said, “As soon as the ship was boarded, we requested to be able to exercise our consular protection over them” through immediate access upon their arrival in Israel, aiming to “ascertain their situation and facilitate their rapid return to France.”
According to Al Jazeera, Spain’s Foreign Ministry has called in Israel’s Chargé d’Affaires to formally protest the move.
This follows Madrid’s April decision to cancel a controversial $7.5 million ammunition purchase from Israel amid growing condemnation of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.”
UN urges immediate release of ship’s crew
UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese said in a post on X that “Madleen must be released immediately.”
“Breaking the siege is a legal duty for states and a moral imperative for all of us,” Albanese added.
“Every Mediterranean port should send boats with aid, solidarity, and humanity to Gaza. They shall sail together—united, they will be unstoppable.”
‘Solidarity is not a crime’
A left-wing political group in the European Parliament denounced the seizure as a “blatant violation of international law.”
The 46-member group urged “the European Union, the United Nations, and the entire international community to strongly condemn this illegal detention, demand the immediate and unconditional release of all crew members, and urge Israeli authorities to allow immediate and unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
“Solidarity is not a crime, genocide is,” it added. “Free the Freedom Flotilla crew.”
Freedom Flotilla organizer Huwaida Arraf said, “All those on board have been abducted. They have been taken against their will while they were sailing peacefully and lawfully in international waters.”
“They were in international waters, sailing towards Palestinian territorial waters, not getting near Israeli waters,” she added.
“It needs to be made very clear that Israel has absolutely no jurisdiction, no lawful authority, to take over this vessel.”
Swedish government offers vague support for abducted activists
After Thunberg appealed for urgent international support and urged friends to put pressure on the Swedish government to release the crew, Stockholm offered vague support for the activists onboard.
The Swedish foreign department said that Thunberg and any other Swedish citizens on the ship will be offered support if they need it.
Earlier on Monday, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas strongly condemned the Israeli regime’s seizure of the Madleen ship as an act of “piracy.”
The Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, set sail from Sicily last week carrying urgent humanitarian supplies for Gaza, including baby formula, flour, rice, desalination kits, medical aid, and children’s prosthetics.
This marks the FFC’s second attempt to deliver vital aid to Gaza since May, after Israeli drones attacked their previous vessel, the Conscience, in international waters near Malta.
UN agencies and major aid groups have warned that Gaza is at risk of famine if more aid is not brought in.
They say Israeli restrictions, the breakdown of law and order, and widespread looting make it extremely difficult to deliver aid to Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians amid the Israeli genocide.
