Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz has instructed the military to screen a video documenting the Hamas-led October 7 attack for the detained activists of the Madleen upon their arrival at Israel’s Ashdod Port.
Katz congratulated the Israeli military on its “swift” takeover of the Madleen.
He also repeated unfounded claims that Greta Thunberg – the Swedish activist with the Madleen – is “anti-Semitic” and supports Hamas.
Katz said that it would be “appropriate” for Thunberg and the other activists to witness footage of the “atrocious acts” committed during the October 7 assault.
The video reportedly contains 43 minutes of “uncensored” footage of “people being massacred and bodies mutilated during the onslaught.”
Israel’s foreign ministry stressed in a statement that all crew members were “safe and unharmed.” It said that it expected the activists to return to their home countries.
The Madleen departed from Italy on June 1 aiming to bring awareness to food shortages in Gaza.
After 21 months of war, the UN has warned the territory’s entire population is at risk of famine.
Israel is facing mounting international pressure to allow more aid into Gaza to alleviate widespread shortages of food and basic supplies.
It recently allowed humanitarian deliveries to resume after barring them for more than two months and began working with the newly formed, US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
However, humanitarian agencies have criticized the GHF and the United Nations refuses to work with it, citing concerns over its practices and neutrality.
Dozens of people have been killed near GHF distribution points since late May, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency.
Outcry Over Madleen Seizure
Meanwhile, Israel has come under criticism for apprehending the group of activists aboard the Madleen in international waters.
Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry spoke 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.” It added, “Israel’s aggressive and unlawful actions will not silence the voices that stand up for human dignity and universal values,” it said.
Similarly, Agnes Callamard, Secretary-General of Amnesty International, 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.”
Agnes Callamard
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.”
Agnes Callamard
Additionally, a left-wing political group in the European Parliament denounced Israel’s seizure of the Madleen as a “blatant violation of international law.”
The Left in the European Parliament, with 46 members, said, “The arrest of the crew members and the confiscation of aid intended for a population in immediate humanitarian distress is unacceptable.”
It added that it is “clearly part of a wider strategy” to starve and massacre Palestinians in Gaza while hiding Israeli war crimes from the world.
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.
The Jewish Council of Australia expressed “grave concerns for the activists on board the Gaza Freedom Flotilla” after it was intercepted and boarded by Israeli forces.
Sarah Schwartz, the council’s executive officer, in a statement, called on the Australian government to urgently intervene to secure the immediate release of the vessel and safety of the crew.
“Israel has a history of killing activists trying to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and cannot be trusted to ensure the safety of the Freedom Flotilla crew.”
Sarah Schwartz
Schwartz also decried the “continued inaction of western governments” over Israeli breaches of international law.
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