Quds News Network

London (Quds News Network)- The Hind Rajab Foundation filed on Monday a formal criminal complaint with the UK Metropolitan Police War Crimes Unit regarding the Israeli military assault on the British-flagged humanitarian vessel, Handala, in international waters. The complaint, lodged under the Geneva Conventions Act 1957 and the International Criminal Court Act 2001, urged UK authorities to open an immediate investigation into grave breaches of international law and war crimes committed by Israeli forces. The assault was carried out by the Shayetet 13 naval commando unit, under the command structure of the Israeli Navy, whose Commander-in-Chief is Vice Admiral David Saar Salama, according to HRF. The complaint also targets officials within the Israeli military and government who may have authorized, planned, or facilitated the operation. The HRF is calling for these individuals to be identified, investigated, and, where evidence permits, prosecuted or arrested under UK jurisdiction. At the time of the Israeli raid, the Handala was sailing approximately 49 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza, carrying 21 unarmed civilians, including activists, journalists, lawyers, and aid workers from 12 countries. All were detained without legal basis and forcibly taken to Israel. The ship’s humanitarian cargo, baby formula, medical supplies, and food, was confiscated, and communications were cut immediately after Israeli forces boarded the vessel. The Handala is a British-flagged vessel, and as such, constitutes an extension of UK sovereign jurisdiction. The seizure of the ship and arrest of its passengers in international waters constitutes an assault on British legal territory, a violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention. It also directly defies the binding orders of the International Court of Justice, issued in early 2024, which require the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Hind Rajab Foundation has called to take legal action against Vice Admiral David Saar Salama, Shayetet 13 commanders, and any political or military officials responsible. This case follows the pattern of previous illegal Israeli interceptions, including the recent attack on the Madleen and the 2010 Mavi Marmara raid. The Handala incident is not isolated, HEF said, “it is part of a systematic campaign to criminalize humanitarian aid and suppress civilian solidarity with Gaza under the guise of military enforcement.” The Hind Rajab Foundation is a Belgium-based pro-Palestine group which leads a legal push against Israeli soldiers’ war crimes in Gaza.

UK: HRF Files Complaint Against Israeli Naval Commandos Over Gaza-Bound Aid Ship Attack

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