Hezbollah condemns Israeli piracy after seizure of Gaza-bound aid ship
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Hezbollah said the raid exposes the "moral and political bankruptcy" of the Zionist regime and its desperation in the face of Gaza's steadfast resistance.
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The Gaza-bound aid boat, Madleen, left, captured by Israeli occupation naval forces making its way toward Ashdod Port in southern "Israel" after being seized by Israeli forces, Monday, June 9, 2025 (AP Photo)
The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, Hezbollah, denounced on Monday what it described as a "heinous act of piracy" after Israeli forces violently intercepted the Madleen, a humanitarian aid vessel en route to Gaza, in international waters.
The Madleen, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and carrying international activists, medical supplies, and food aid for Palestinians trapped under "Israel's" siege, was seized by the Israeli navy this morning. The vessel was forcibly diverted to Isdud, and all 12 people onboard were detained. Those aboard included prominent human rights defenders and parliamentarians seeking to break the illegal blockade on Gaza.
"This act of piracy… and the arrest of international activists, as well as the prevention of humanitarian and relief aid onboard from reaching the besieged Gaza Strip, represents a flagrant breach of international law," Hezbollah stated, calling on human rights organizations and international institutions to intervene.
Hezbollah said the raid exposes the "moral and political bankruptcy" of the Zionist regime and its desperation in the face of Gaza's steadfast resistance. "This entity is incapable of breaking the will of the people of Gaza and their resistance," the statement read.
Piracy condemned
"Israel's" interception of the vessel occurred in international waters, far from any legitimate claim of national security, and has been widely condemned by legal experts and solidarity groups as a violation of maritime law and basic humanitarian principles.
The ship was carrying essential supplies at a time when Gaza is suffering catastrophic shortages of food, water, and medical aid due to months of Israeli bombardment and blockade.
Read more: Turkey blasts 'Israel' as 'terrorist state' amid Madleen interception
Hezbollah expressed its "full solidarity with the courageous free people onboard the ship" and called for "urgent and immediate" international action to ensure their release and to hold Israel accountable for its aggression. It demanded that humanitarian access to Gaza be guaranteed and the siege lifted unconditionally.
Blockade brutality
Despite Israeli claims that detainees will be deported "after security checks," the raid has sparked international outrage. Protesters took to the streets in Paris, Tunis, London, and Kuala Lumpur to denounce the ongoing war crimes committed by the occupation forces and to express support for the Palestinian people.
The Madleen's mission was a peaceful, civilian effort to deliver aid to a population on the brink of famine. Its seizure, activists say, reveals the extent to which "Israel" is willing to escalate even against nonviolent resistance and humanitarian solidarity.
