Hamas Condemns ‘Cowardly’ Interception of Global Sumud Flotilla as “Maritime Piracy”
Movement demands international action after Israeli navy arrests activists and journalists aboard Alma and Sirius
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM - The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Wednesday condemned the Israeli navy’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters and the arrest of accompanying activists and journalists, calling the action a “cowardly assault,” an act of piracy and maritime terrorism against civilians, the Palestinian Information Center reported.
Hamas: ‘A Brutal Attack on International Solidarity’
Hamas said the interception represented a brutal attack targeting international solidarity activists on an urgent humanitarian mission to deliver emergency aid to besieged Gaza.
The movement stated the convoy was carrying lifesaving assistance to Palestinians who, it added, have faced what it described as systematic starvation and mass killing over the past two years.
Hamas condemned the move in the strongest terms and called it a criminal act that must be denounced by all free people around the world.
Call to Action: Protests and Global Mobilization Requested
Praising the courage of the activists and their determination to break the siege on the Palestinian people, Hamas urged supporters worldwide to organize demonstrations and popular actions to register international outrage and demand an immediate end to the occupation’s assaults.
The movement urged the United Nations and the international community to fulfill their legal and moral duties by condemning the Israeli “piracy.”
Also to take urgent measures to protect the activists and their vessels, working to halt what it described as the ongoing crime of extermination and starvation imposed on the Palestinian people, and holding occupation leaders accountable for crimes against humanity.
Flotilla Organizers: Arrests and Diversion to Ashdod
Earlier Wednesday, the Global Sumud Flotilla said Israeli occupation forces detained participants aboard the vessels Alma and Sirius while the convoy was en route to Gaza in an effort to break a more than 18-year blockade. Organizers reported that the Israeli navy ordered the ships to change course and head to Ashdod port.
They described the interception as part of an Israeli policy aimed at thwarting any international attempts to open a humanitarian corridor to Gaza.
Hamas said the interception occurred against the backdrop of a destructive war on Gaza launched by Israeli forces on 7 October 2023, with direct support from the United States and other Western countries.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip, the offensive has so far resulted in approximately 235,000 Palestinians killed or wounded. (PW)