It is a blatant violation of international law and an assault on civilian volunteers motivated by humanitarian principles
GAZA CITY — The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) has strongly condemned Sunday night’s Israeli military interception and seizure of Madleen, a humanitarian aid ship bound for the Gaza Strip, calling the operation an act of “Zionist piracy” and “a brazen assault on human conscience.”
In a press statement released on Monday, Hamas accused Israel of committing a crime in international waters by intercepting the vessel, forcibly towing it to the port of Ashdod, and detaining international solidarity activists on board who were on what Hamas described as a peaceful humanitarian mission to break the Gaza blockade.
“The interception of the Madleen at sea and the prevention of its delivery of symbolic aid to our people, who are facing a genocidal war, constitutes state-sponsored terrorism, a blatant violation of international law, and an assault on civilian volunteers motivated by humanitarian principles,” the statement read.
International Mission Blocked
The Madleen, according to Hamas, was part of a growing wave of international solidarity efforts aimed at highlighting the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, which has endured an Israeli-Egyptian blockade for over 17 years. The ship carried humanitarian activists from various countries who were attempting to symbolically breach the blockade and draw global attention to what they term Israel’s policy of “starvation and collective punishment.”
Hamas praised the “free solidarity activists of various nationalities” aboard the ship, stating that their efforts showed that the “conscience of humanity remains alive in confronting the fascist occupation.”
“This mission, along with land convoys of resilience arriving from Algeria, Tunisia, Jordan, and other countries, stands as living testimony to the failure of the Zionist propaganda machine and the growing popular and humanitarian solidarity with besieged Gaza,” the group said.
In the statement, Hamas made three key demands:
1. Immediate release of all detained activists and holding Israel fully responsible for their safety.
2. Urgent action by the United Nations and international organisations to condemn the seizure and take steps to end the Gaza blockade, and
3. Support for international initiatives to break the siege, which Hamas declared a crime “not subject to a statute of limitations.”
The group also warned that the seizure of the Madleen “will not silence the voices of the free, nor halt the rising tide of global solidarity with Gaza,” but rather “further isolate the occupation and expose its criminal face to the peoples of the world.”
Israel Yet to Respond
Israeli officials have not issued a formal statement on the incident as yet. However, in previous cases involving similar maritime attempts to breach the naval blockade, the Jewish state has defended such operations on security grounds, citing concerns over potential arms smuggling to Hamas and other resistance groups in Gaza.
Under international pressure, Israeli authorities have often released detained activists after brief interrogations. It remains unclear how long those aboard the Madleen will be held.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The incident occurs amid a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. Months of war, infrastructure destruction, and aid restrictions have led to severe shortages of food, water, medicine, and fuel. International agencies, including the United Nations, have repeatedly warned that famine conditions are emerging, particularly in northern Gaza.
Despite mounting global calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian access, efforts to lift or ease the siege have largely stalled due to political divisions and continued Israeli genocide in Gaza.
Hamas reiterated its position that the blockade itself is an act of war and a crime under international law.
“The world will continue to confront it by all means,” the statement concluded, urging continued popular mobilisation and international missions to challenge what it sees as Israel’s systematic campaign of repression.
