Tel Aviv: A campaign group dedicated to breaking Israel's blockade on the Gaza Strip has vowed to persist in its efforts to deliver crucial humanitarian aid to the enclave. This declaration came shortly after Israeli forces intercepted an aid ship attempting to reach the territory.
According to Anadolu Agency, the International Committee for Breaking the Siege (ICBSG) issued a statement emphasizing their commitment to challenge the blockade despite the interception. The group stated, "We feel helpless and our capabilities are limited, but we continue to do everything we can, along with the free people of the world, to reject the war and demand the opening of the crossings and the entry of aid." The ICBSG affirmed that targeting ships trying to break the blockade will not deter their mission.
The British-flagged ship, Madleen, organized by the ICBSG, attempted to breach the blockade imposed by Israel on Gaza, where nearly 55,000 people have died since October 2023. The ship, carrying aid including food and baby formula, was boarded by Israeli forces during the night and subsequently towed to Ashdod Port in Israel. The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced that the activists aboard would be deported to their home countries.
Following the interception, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese called on Mediterranean ports to dispatch more aid ships, describing the attempts to break the Israeli siege as "a legal duty for states and moral imperative for all." Albanese asserted that the ships should sail together, emphasizing their potential unity and strength, and called for the immediate release of the Madleen aid ship. She urged the UK government to seek full clarification and secure the release of the vessel and its crew, allowing them to continue their humanitarian mission to Gaza.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition's aid ship, Madleen, embarked on its journey to Gaza on June 1 from the Port of San Giovanni Li Cuti in Sicily, Italy. Among the 12 crew members were Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament. Other activists on board included individuals from Germany, France, Brazil, Trkiye, Spain, the Netherlands, and a journalist from Al Jazeera Mubasher.
Israel has continued to close all of Gaza's border crossings to humanitarian aid since early March, raising concerns among aid agencies about the risk of famine for Gaza's 2.4 million residents. In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.