Solidarity is not a crime’, says left-wing European Parliament group
A left-wing political group in the European Parliament has denounced Israel’s seizure of the Madleen as a “blatant violation of international law”.
“This interception, carried out outside Israeli territorial waters, constitutes a blatant violation of international law, including maritime and humanitarian law,” said The Left in the European Parliament, with 46 members.
“The arrest of the crew members and the confiscation of aid intended for a population in immediate humanitarian distress is unacceptable, and is clearly part of a wider strategy to starve and massacre Palestinians in Gaza while hiding Israeli war crimes from the world,” it added.
It urged “the European Union, the United Nations, and the entire international community to strongly condemn this illegal detention, demand the immediate and unconditional release of all crew members, and urge Israeli authorities to allow immediate and unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza”.
“Solidarity is not a crime, genocide is,” it added. “Free the Freedom Flotilla crew.”
Amnesty chief accuses Israel of violating international law
Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of Amnesty International, has condemned Israel’s interception of the Madleen, asserting that it “violates international law”.
“As the occupying power (as recognised by the ICJ), Israel has a legal obligation to ensure civilians in Gaza have sufficient food and medicine. They should have let Madleen deliver its humanitarian supplies to Gaza,” she posted on X.
Callamard also appealed to other nations to do “far more than they have done to this date”.
“There is an on-going genocide. Military occupation. Apartheid. Palestinians in Gaza are starved. Humanitarian workers are targeted. Humanitarian aid is blocked,” she added.
#Madleen, launched by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was seeking to bring humanitarian aid in an attempt to breach Israel’s illegal blockade of the occupied Gaza Strip. It was carrying unarmed civilians on a humanitarian mission.
Israel interception of Madleen violates… pic.twitter.com/h5QvMeYVqk
— Agnes Callamard (@AgnesCallamard) June 9, 2025
Turkiye joins outcry over Madleen seizure
Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry has spoken out against Israel’s interception of the Gaza-bound aid ship. In a statement, the ministry called the move a “clear violation of international law” that “once again demonstrates that Israel is acting as a terror state”.
“Israel’s aggressive and unlawful actions will not silence the voices that stand up for human dignity and universal values,” it said.
