Flagrant Piracy in International Waters: Israel Seizes Gaza-Bound Humanitarian Flotilla
Freedom Flotilla Coalition Condemns Piracy, Calls Interception a Violation of International Law
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM — Israeli occupation forces have once again attacked a humanitarian aid convoy in international waters, seizing multiple vessels en route to the besieged Gaza Strip, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) confirmed on Wednesday.
The coalition said its unarmed, civilian-led ships—carrying life-saving medical and nutritional supplies—were surrounded, jammed, and boarded by Israeli troops despite sailing far from any Israeli territorial boundary.
A Brazen Violation of International Law
In an official statement, the FFC denounced the interception as “a flagrant act of piracy and aggression in clear violation of international law.”
The group emphasized that “the Israeli military has no legal jurisdiction over international waters,” and that the humanitarian flotilla posed “no harm whatsoever.”
“Our humanitarian convoy is under attack by the Israeli military,”
the coalition declared, condemning the armed seizure of at least two vessels carrying essential supplies valued at over $110,000, including medicines, respiratory equipment, and nutritional aid for Gaza’s collapsing hospitals.
Israel’s Justification Rejected as Deceptive
In a routine dismissal of humanitarian missions, Israel’s foreign ministry claimed the ships had been “safely diverted” to an Israeli port and that all passengers would be deported.
The ministry labeled the flotilla “another futile attempt to breach the legal naval blockade.”
Human rights observers and maritime experts, however, rejected these claims, stressing that the blockade itself is illegal under international law and constitutes collective punishment of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents.
Pattern of Aggression Against Humanitarian Missions
This attack marks the second violent interception in less than a week. Earlier, Israeli forces detained over 450 international activists and confiscated around 40 vessels belonging to the separate Global Sumud Flotilla, which also sought to deliver urgent relief to Gaza’s starving civilians.
Both flotillas were part of coordinated international efforts to break Israel’s 17-year blockade, widely condemned for creating unlivable conditions in the enclave.
Escalating Humanitarian Catastrophe
Since Israel’s latest war on Gaza—launched after the October 7, 2023, Operation Al-Aqsa Flood by Palestinian resistance fighters—the humanitarian crisis has reached catastrophic levels.
According to Gaza’s health authorities, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been martyred, while tens of thousands remain missing under the rubble. Hospitals face collapse due to lack of electricity, clean water, and medical supplies.
International observers warn that Israel’s continued assaults, combined with its blockade, amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
A Crime Against Humanity on the High Seas
Global activists and legal experts have denounced Israel’s latest actions as “state piracy.” They argue that targeting unarmed humanitarian ships in international waters constitutes a grave breach of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and further isolates Israel diplomatically.
As the Freedom Flotilla Coalition vowed to continue its missions, solidarity movements across the world called for immediate international intervention and accountability.
“No force on earth can silence the call for justice,”
the FFC declared. “The world must not remain silent while Israel attacks humanitarian workers and starves an entire population.” (PW)