Hamas has condemned Israel’s seizure of the Madleen, a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid ship, labeling it “organised state terrorism.”
The group praised the courage of activists aboard, stating:
We salute the brave activists from various nationalities who stood firm in the face of threats and reaffirmed that Gaza is not alone.
Statement from Hamas.
The Madleen, part of a convoy from Algeria, Tunisia, and Jordan, was intercepted by Israeli forces, prompting widespread international criticism.
Hamas declared the seizure a testament to the failure of Israel’s “propaganda machine” and urged the United Nations to condemn the act and secure the activists’ release.
“The seizure of the Madleen will not silence the voice of the free, nor will it stop the growing global solidarity with Gaza,” Hamas emphasized.
The Palestinian Mujahideen Movement echoed Hamas, denouncing the seizure as “an act of international piracy” and a “flagrant violation of all international norms and laws.”
They demanded Israel “immediately release” the crew, who they said “risked their lives in response to the free conscience, morals and human values.”
Similarly, Agnes Callamard of Amnesty International condemned Israel’s actions, asserting, “As the occupying power (as recognised by the ICJ), Israel has a legal obligation to ensure civilians in Gaza have sufficient food and medicine.”
Australian Senator David Shoebridge called the attack a “clear breach of international law,” urging sanctions on Israel’s arms industry and government.
Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry also decried the interception as a “clear violation of international law,” labeling Israel a “terror state.”
The Jewish Council of Australia expressed “grave concerns” for the activists, with executive officer Sarah Schwartz stating, “Israel has a history of killing activists trying to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and cannot be trusted to ensure the safety of the Freedom Flotilla crew.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baqaei, described the seizure as “piracy under international law.”
As Gaza faces imminent starvation, global voices, including the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement, urge continued solidarity, calling for “organising events and convoys that express the global conscience in support of and solidarity with our people in Gaza.”