By Edward Makuzva
The Embassy of the State of Palestine has issued a strong condemnation of what it describes as a “brazen act of maritime piracy” following the interception of the Madaleen, a humanitarian aid ship headed to Gaza, by Israeli forces in international waters.
This brazen act of aggression has resulted in the hijacking of the ship and the abduction of all 12 volunteers on board, including renowned Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament.
Ambassador Tamer Almassri strongly condemns this brutal act, describing it as state-sponsored terrorism and maritime piracy carried out by the Israeli regime. The Embassy expresses grave concern over the complete loss of independent communication with the abductees since the interception, a development that further intensifies the already dire situation.
“The State of Palestine salutes the courage and determination of the activists of various nationalities aboard the ship, who were attempting to break the illegal siege on the Gaza Strip. For several months, Israel has employed starvation as a weapon of war against Palestinians in Gaza, denying them access to basic necessities, including food, medicine, and humanitarian aid.
“The Israeli occupation forces have even converted aid distribution sites into mass slaughterhouses, where desperate and starving Palestinians are slaughtered. The staggering toll of innocent lives lost in aid distribution areas and transported to hospitals has reached 115, with over 1,110 others injured”, Ambassador Almassri explained.
Statistics reaveled tha the overall death toll in the Gaza Strip has surged to 54,880, with the majority being women and children, since the beginning of the Israeli aggression in October 2023. At least 126,227 others have been injured, with many victims still trapped under rubble, inaccessible to ambulance and rescue crews.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Almassri added that the international community must not turn a blind eye to these atrocities. The State of Palestine demands the immediate and unconditional release of all abductees and urges the international community to take concrete actions to end the illegal blockade of Gaza , stop its genocide war and hold Israel accountable for its crimes against humanity. The world must not remain silent in the face of such blatant aggression and terrorism