An international online campaign has collected over 498,000 letters urging Israel to refrain from harming the Madleen, a humanitarian aid ship operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), as it sails toward Gaza to deliver aid and protest Israel’s blockade.
Organized by the FFC, the campaign calls on participants to “put Israel on notice” by sending a prepared letter to Israeli officials, the UN, and foreign governments.
The letter states:
Any interception, attack, sabotage, or interference with the Madleen or its civilian passengers and crew will constitute a deliberate, knowing, and unlawful attack on civilians and a violation of international law.
The coalition’s website emphasizes, “We are putting them on notice,” but adds, “But this letter alone will not stop an attack on those trying to deliver aid to the Palestinian people of Gaza. Your voice and action are what make this protection real.”
The FFC aims to gather over 800,000 letters.
The Madleen, named after Gaza’s first female fisherwoman, departed Catania, Sicily, on June 1, carrying humanitarian aid and human rights activists challenging Israel’s blockade, which has caused acute food shortages for over 90 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents since March 2.
The mission follows the bombing of another FFC vessel, Conscience, by Israeli drones off Malta’s coast last month.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, a drone operated by Greece’s Hellenic Coastguard hovered over the Madleen in international waters.
Thiago Avila, an FFC steering committee member aboard the ship, reported a “new drone threat against our humanitarian mission” on Thursday, noting, “This time the drone came closer than any other and passed above our boat, which is a CRITICAL threat, considering one month ago Israel bombed our boat in conditions like these at a similar hour.”
The Israeli military has signaled its intent to block the Madleen, with spokesperson Effie Defrin stating, “For this case as well, we are prepared. We have gained experience in recent years, and we will act accordingly.”
Israeli media reports suggest the military may seize the vessel or detain activists if they approach Gaza.
The FFC condemned Israel’s stance, declaring, “Madleen carries humanitarian aid and international human rights defenders in direct challenge to Israel’s illegal, decades-long blockade, and ongoing genocide.”