Geneva – SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties stated in a press release that the interception of the Freedom Flotilla by Israeli occupation forces in international waters constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and maritime navigation rules. The organization affirmed that this act reflects the continuation of Israel’s long-standing policy of suffocating the Palestinian people and depriving them of their most basic human rights. It noted that the seizure of humanitarian aid bound for the Gaza Strip, along with the arrest and forcible deportation of activists and volunteers, represents a deliberate approach that transcends legal and moral boundaries and perpetuates the unjust blockade imposed on the Strip for years.

The organization pointed out that this attack comes within a broader framework of Israeli practices targeting Palestinian civilians and all forms of humanitarian support directed toward them. It further emphasized that the incident adds to a series of crimes and violations currently under review by the International Court of Justice in the case filed by South Africa concerning genocide in Gaza. It also intersects with the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his responsibility in committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.

SAM affirmed that the interception of a civilian fleet in international waters constitutes a blatant breach of the principles of international law—particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantees freedom of navigation and prohibits attacks on civilian vessels. The organization stressed that the detention and forcible deportation of activists amount to a double crime that contravenes the fundamental principles of human rights and rises to the level of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance.

The organization further stated that this incident was not an isolated one but rather reflects a systematic Israeli policy aimed at strangling Gaza and targeting anyone attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to its people. SAM underscored that such conduct demonstrates Israel’s blatant disregard for international law and for the international community, which continues to remain silent in the face of these repeated violations. It considered that this persistent silence constitutes implicit complicity in the crime and undermines the principles of justice and humanity upon which the international system is supposed to rest.

SAM called on the United Nations to shoulder its legal and moral responsibilities by dispatching an independent international commission of inquiry to investigate the attack on the Freedom Flotilla and hold those responsible accountable for this unlawful act. The organization also urged the International Criminal Court to expand the scope of its investigations into Israeli crimes to include the act of maritime piracy and the seizure of humanitarian aid, describing them as serious violations of international humanitarian law.

Moreover, SAM stressed the need for the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to fulfill their obligations to prosecute Israeli war criminals and to enforce their legal responsibilities aimed at preventing impunity. The organization warned that ignoring such crimes encourages their recurrence and undermines the global system based on justice and accountability. It further called on the international community to take immediate and effective action to pressure for the lifting of the illegal blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip and to ensure the free delivery of humanitarian aid through safe and independent corridors.