Tel aviv: An Israeli legal center has issued a strong condemnation following an attack on a Gaza aid flotilla and is demanding immediate access to the detained activists who were aboard.
According to Anadolu Agency, Adalah Legal Center criticized the assault on unarmed civilians at sea and the seizure of humanitarian vessels, stating that these actions represent a serious violation of international law and highlight the ongoing impunity with which Israel operates. In a statement, Adalah announced its intention to represent all activists from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) and insisted on immediate access to them upon their arrival in Israel.
The center emphasized its commitment to challenging the unlawful detention of the activists and the confiscation of the flotilla ships and aid. The flotilla, composed of a 9-boat convoy including the FFC's flagship vessel, the Conscience, was intercepted by Israeli naval forces as it attempted to challenge Israel's blockade on Gaza.
Participants on the Conscience, which included doctors, nurses, and journalists, managed to report an attack by an Israeli military helicopter before losing communication. Israeli naval forces also intercepted and boarded the Thousands Madleens sailboats, approximately 120 nautical miles from Gaza, in international waters.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed the transportation of all detained activists to Ashdod Port in southern Israel. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, established in 2010, has organized numerous missions to deliver aid and raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip under Israel's blockade.
This latest incident follows the recent attack and seizure of more than 40 boats from the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, where over 450 activists were detained, most of whom have been deported. The blockade on Gaza, affecting nearly 2.4 million residents, has been in place for nearly 18 years and was tightened further in March, exacerbating the humanitarian situation.
Since October 2023, Israeli military actions have resulted in the deaths of nearly 67,200 Palestinians in Gaza, predominantly women and children, and have rendered the area uninhabitable. Ongoing negotiations to end the conflict are currently taking place in Egypt, based on a 20-point plan proposed by US President Donald Trump.