Gaza, MINA – UN human rights experts on Monday issued a joint statement urging the protection of a humanitarian vessel operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which set sail from Italy on Sunday en route to Gaza.
Accord to Anadolu Agency, the ship is carrying vital supplies including food, medical aid, and baby items for the besieged enclave.
The experts described the mission as a “symbolic and powerful effort” to deliver urgently needed aid to Palestinians in Gaza and warned Israel against obstructing the ship. “Aid is desperately needed for the people of Gaza to forestall annihilation,” they said. “Israel should remember that the world is watching closely and refrain from any act of hostility against the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and its passengers.”
Emphasizing that Palestinians have the legal right to receive aid through their territorial waters, the experts stressed that the vessel must be allowed to navigate freely in international waters. “Israel must not interfere with its freedom of navigation, long recognised under international law,” the statement added.
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The experts expressed concern over the safety of those on board, citing the reported drone attack on another Freedom Flotilla vessel near Malta earlier in May. They criticized Israel’s 17-year blockade on Gaza, which has intensified since March 2, leaving aid nearly completely blocked for over 80 days.
“As the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s ship approaches Palestinian territorial waters off Gaza, Israel must adhere to international law and comply with orders from the International Court of Justice to ensure unimpeded access for humanitarian aid,” they stated.
The group also condemned the use of aid as a weapon of war, accusing the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation supported by Israel and the United States of breaching principles of neutrality and humanity.
Calling the situation in Gaza “the most horrific” phase of the ongoing crisis, the experts urged the UN General Assembly to authorize peacekeeping forces under the Uniting for Peace mechanism. “Member States have a legal obligation and a moral imperative to stop starvation and genocide in Gaza,” the experts concluded.
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Despite mounting international pressure for a ceasefire, Israel has continued its military offensive in Gaza since October 2023, resulting in the deaths of over 54,400 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Aid agencies continue to warn of an imminent famine threatening the lives of more than 2 million people. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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