Israeli occupation forces stormed the “Handala” aid ship late Saturday/early Sunday. The ship had been on a humanitarian mission carrying international solidarity activists and aid supplies, seeking to break the unlawful naval blockade imposed on more than 2.4 million Palestinians in Gaza—a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and the Law of the Sea.
Live footage showed the moment of the raid, as Israeli occupation forces boarded the ship in international waters while fully armed, forcing the activists to raise their hands. The operation was carried out suddenly and aggressively, leaving the fate of the passengers and crew unknown.
The vessel had departed from the Italian port of Marina di Carrara on 13 July, and later docked in Sicily for technical reasons. It resumed its journey on 20 July, and was close to reaching Gaza’s shores when it was intercepted by Israeli naval vessels and surrounded by low-flying military aircraft.
The assault on the ship constitutes a documented act of maritime piracy, as it occurred outside the occupation’s territorial waters and targeted a civilian vessel with no threat. Such action violates international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which guarantees freedom of navigation and the safety of humanitarian vessels in international waters.
This attack cannot be viewed in isolation, but must be understood within the broader context of the ongoing genocide being committed in Gaza. It is part of a systematic campaign involving mass killing, starvation, deliberate destruction, and forced displacement on a wide scale.
Under the suffocating blockade and the denial of food and medical supplies since early March, famine has taken hold. Mass deaths are being caused by hunger, targeted bombardment, and indiscriminate killing. Alarming signs of severe malnutrition have appeared on children and patients in Gaza, while field reports confirm that dozens are dying of starvation daily amid deafening international silence and inaction.
The assault on the “Handala” vessel is not unprecedented. Israeli occupation forces had previously seized control of another ship, the “Freedom”, in June/July of last year, detaining 12 solidarity activists before deporting them. Another aid vessel, “Al-Maseer”, was targeted with high-pressure water cannons in an attack that caused serious damage and forced it to withdraw.
These repeated crimes confirm that the Israeli occupation treats humanitarian missions as threats, reacting with military force in an effort to prevent any exposure of its crimes or reduction of Gaza’s suffering.
The violations committed against Gaza’s population reflect the true intentions of the occupation authorities. Since 7 October 2023, tens of thousands have been killed, including large numbers of women and children. Around 9,000 others remain missing beneath the rubble, while thousands of displaced persons have died in the open, without shelter or food.
The international community must not settle for statements. It must take urgent and decisive action to end this catastrophe, ensure civilian protection in Gaza, and allow the safe entry of humanitarian convoys. This is not a political choice—it is a legal and moral obligation under binding international agreements and international humanitarian law.
