Israel’s interception of Gaza-bound aid ship violates global law: Amnesty International

Israel's overnight interception of the Madleen vessel in international waters, which was carrying humanitarian aid and a crew of solidarity activists, violated international law and endangered the safety of all those aboard, Amnesty International said today.

The rights watchdog, in a statement released today on its official website, strongly condemned the action, stressing that the boat's 12-member crew --- including prominent activist Greta Thunberg --- were unarmed human rights defenders on a humanitarian mission who must be released immediately and unconditionally.

"By forcibly intercepting and blocking the Madleen, which was carrying humanitarian aid and a crew of solidarity activists, Israel has once again flouted its legal obligations towards civilians in the occupied Gaza Strip and demonstrated its chilling contempt for legally binding orders of the International Court of Justice," said Agnès Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty International.

The Madleen was part of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla attempting to break Israel's long-standing blockade on Gaza and deliver desperately needed humanitarian supplies to Palestinians facing severe shortages amid the ongoing conflict.

Amnesty International emphasised that as the occupying power, Israel holds clear international obligations to ensure that civilians in Gaza have adequate access to food, medicine, and essential supplies critical for survival.

Instead, according to the statement, Israel has deliberately obstructed impartial humanitarian aid efforts and inflicted conditions designed to bring about the physical destruction of the Palestinian population.

Callamard further condemned Israel's military actions that have damaged or destroyed vital infrastructure, such as agricultural lands, exacerbating what Amnesty describes as a "starvation policy" targeting Gaza's 2.3 million residents.

"During its voyage over the past few days, the Madleen's mission emerged as a powerful symbol of solidarity with besieged, starved and suffering Palestinians amid persistent international inaction.

However, this very mission is also an indictment of the international community's failure to put an end to Israel's inhumane blockade.

Activists would not have needed to risk their lives had Israel's allies translated their rhetoric into forceful action to allow aid into Gaza," the statement added.

Amnesty warned that Israel's interception of the Madleen, despite widespread international calls to grant the vessel safe passage, highlights the impunity that Israel has long enjoyed --- emboldening its forces to commit what the organisation describes as acts of genocide and sustain an 18-year-long illegal blockade of Gaza.

The rights group urged governments worldwide to publicly condemn Israel's actions and to demand the immediate and unconditional release of all detained activists.

"States must act now or risk complicity in Israel's grave violations of Palestinians' rights. They must publicly denounce Israel's interception and detention of the Madleen's crew and demand the immediate and unconditional release of all those on board," Callamard stressed.

The statement called for an end to Israel's blockade and the unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid through all crossings into Gaza, warning that failure to act decisively would make the international community complicit in the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe.