The International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza strongly condemned the Israeli navy’s assault on nine ships belonging to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and the Miles of Smiles for Gaza Initiative, which were carrying 145 international activists from over 25 countries. The attack occurred early Wednesday while the flotilla was sailing through international waters en route to Gaza. 

In a statement, the committee described the attack as “a flagrant violation of international law and the principles of free navigation,” stressing that it targeted unarmed civilians and international solidarity activists engaged in a humanitarian mission to deliver essential aid to Gaza’s besieged population.

The committee said the incident reflects a continuation of the Israeli occupation’s systematic crimes and acts of genocide against Palestinians, including attacks on humanitarian infrastructure. It added that targeting civilian activists and aid operations represents a deliberate policy to deprive Gaza’s residents of relief and protection.

“We will intensify political and diplomatic pressure”

Holding the Israeli regime fully responsible for the safety of everyone on board, the committee called for an urgent and independent international investigation into what it described as “a war crime in international waters,” demanding accountability in accordance with international law.

Committee Chairman Zaher Birawi said, “The Israeli piracy in international waters and its crimes against civilians and solidarity activists will not deter us from our humanitarian, legal, and political efforts. We will continue to organize convoys and flotillas to break the siege and deliver aid to our people in Gaza.”

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Birawi emphasized that the committee intends to escalate “political and diplomatic pressure by all available means until the killing, starvation, and genocide in Gaza are stopped.”

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The committee urged the international community, the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, and all states whose nationals were aboard the flotilla to take immediate responsibility to ensure their protection and release. It also called for concerted international action to end repeated attacks on humanitarian missions and to guarantee unimpeded delivery of aid to Gaza.

Earlier this morning, the flotilla, part of a long-running campaign to challenge the blockade imposed on Gaza for over 17 years, was intercepted and attacked by the Israeli navy.

According to the International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza, the assault took place approximately 120 nautical miles (220 kilometers) from Gaza’s shores, well within international waters. The committee reaffirmed that this constitutes a “serious breach of international law and maritime norms.”

Blockade and diplomacy

The Israeli Navy's attack on the flotilla occurred as the war on Gaza entered its third year, leaving the enclave devastated and uninhabitable. According to official figures, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, most of them women and children.

Talks to end the war are underway in Egypt, based on a 20-point plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, which includes a prisoner exchange, Gaza withdrawal, and a foreign-supervised administration. However, critics across the Arab and Islamic world say the proposal legitimizes Israeli control and marginalizes Palestinian sovereignty.

The Freedom Flotilla's mission, launched from international waters, was intended as a peaceful challenge to the blockade and a show of international solidarity with the Palestinian people. Instead, it was met with armed interception and mass detentions, prompting sharp diplomatic reactions from Türkiye, Malaysia, and Palestinian factions.

As condemnation spreads, the assault is expected to heighten diplomatic pressure on "Israel" and further expose the international divide over the Gaza genocide, particularly as calls grow for accountability at the United Nations.