Loading...Emma Fourreau, a member of the European Parliament, sounded the alarm on social media. “The Handala has been detained by Israel’s genocidal army, and the crew has been illegally kidnapped,” she wrote. She called on French officials to act immediately and demand the crew’s release. The ship’s seizure in international waters amounts to a violation of international law. Rights groups and organizers described the Israeli operation as an act of piracy. The activists onboard come from various nationalities and include parliamentarians, journalists, and artists. They had joined the Handala in a renewed effort to challenge Israel’s 17-year blockade on Gaza. The ship set sail from Syracuse, Italy, on July 13 and briefly docked in Gallipoli on July 15 for technical repairs before continuing toward Gaza on July 20. The international campaign behind the mission warned earlier that if Israel intercepted the ship, all activists onboard would launch an open-ended hunger strike. This is not the first time Israel has seized an aid ship in international waters. On June 9, the Israeli army captured the Madleen, another aid vessel headed to Gaza. That operation ended with the abduction and later deportation of 12 activists, who were released only after pledging not to return. Handala was named after the iconic Palestinian cartoon character symbolizing resistance. The activists say their mission is peaceful and humanitarian, meant to highlight the urgency of getting aid, especially infant formula, into Gaza amid a deepening famine, which is a direct result to Israel’s blockade.
Israeli Navy Storms Aid Ship “Handala” in International Waters, Detains 21 Activists Onboard
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