DaysofPal — Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, has called on the British government to take immediate diplomatic action to secure the release of the humanitarian ship Madleen and its crew, after it was seized by Israeli occupation forces in international waters.
In an official statement today, Albanese stressed that the Madleen posed “no threat whatsoever to Israel’s security,” underscoring that “Israel has no legal authority to intercept a civilian vessel in international waters.” She demanded a formal explanation from Israeli authorities and urged the UK to intervene decisively to ensure the ship and its passengers—who were on a legitimate humanitarian mission to Gaza—are released without delay.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized the voyage, confirmed earlier today that Israeli naval forces had intercepted and boarded the ship en route to Gaza, detaining all activists onboard. Multiple Israeli navy vessels surrounded the Madleen, severing communications and taking control of the vessel in what witnesses described as a highly aggressive operation.
Footage from the scene showed alarms sounding on the ship, with passengers donning life jackets in anticipation of an assault. The vessel was reportedly towed to Ashdod Port under military escort. According to Israeli Army Radio, the elite Shayetet 13 naval commando unit executed the operation, and all passengers are now in custody, with identity verification and interrogations underway at a naval base.
The ship’s activists had previously issued an appeal to the international community, urging immediate intervention to prevent the illegal seizure of humanitarian aid. They emphasized that blocking aid to the besieged Gaza Strip amid an escalating humanitarian crisis is a flagrant violation of international law.
The incident has drawn renewed scrutiny over the legal and ethical legitimacy of Israel’s ongoing naval blockade of Gaza, particularly in the context of the current war, which has seen unprecedented civilian casualties and widespread destruction.
Albanese’s urgent appeal follows growing international concern over Israel’s actions in Gaza and the treatment of humanitarian actors attempting to break the blockade. Human rights groups have reiterated that the forcible seizure of civilian vessels in international waters, particularly those on humanitarian missions, constitutes a breach of maritime law and the Geneva Conventions.
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