International Committee: Israel attack on the Madleen is piracy and state terrorism

The International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza announced today that the civilian ship Madleen, carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza and carrying 11 international activists and an Al Jazeera correspondent, was attacked and assaulted by Israeli naval forces at 0300 Cairo time, approximately 120 nautical miles in international waters. A press release by the group said Israeli commandos illegally boarded the ship, detained its civilian crew and the peaceful activists on board. They also confiscated the aid they were carrying for Gaza, including baby formula, food, and medical supplies.

Reacting to this development the International Committee of the Red Cross said: “Israel has no legal authority to detain the international volunteers on board the MV Madleen. We believe this attack is a flagrant violation of international law and disregards the International Court of Justice’s rulings ordering unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza. These volunteers are not under occupation and cannot be prosecuted for providing assistance or challenging the illegal blockade. Their detention is arbitrary and unlawful and must end immediately.”

In its statement,  the International Committee to Break the Siege said; “Israel continues to violate international law with impunity, ignoring the International Court of Justice’s orders to allow humanitarian access to Gaza, ignoring the laws protecting civilian navigation, and disregarding the demands of millions around the world for an end to the blockade and mass killing in Gaza.”

It added, “This new attack on the MV Madleen follows the unprovoked drone attack on the blockade-breaking ship Al-Dameer earlier last month, which resulted in minor injuries to four civilian volunteers and disabled the ship in European waters off the coast of Malta.”

The Committee further pointed out that the silence of world governments when the Al-Dameer ship was bombed had emboldened the occupying state to repeat its crime against the Madleen ship. It said, every hour that passes without accountability emboldens the occupying state to continue its war on Gaza, perpetuate the blockade, and escalate its attacks against civilians, relief workers, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza in accordance with international law.

The International Committee emphasised the following demands:

• An immediate end to the illegal and deadly blockade on Gaza.
• The immediate release of all kidnapped volunteers and activists.
• Direct delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, outside the control of the occupation.
• Full and genuine accountability for the Zionist occupying state for the military attacks on the Madleen and Al-Dameer ships.

READ: As Israel seizes aid ship, campaign group vows relentless efforts to break Gaza siege