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European Parliament (EP) spokesperson Delphine Colard announced that they are closely monitoring the situation regarding the detention of the "Madleen" vessel carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza and containing EP member Rima Hassan by Israel, and that EP President Roberta Metsola will continue communication with Israeli authorities until the situation is safely resolved.
Colard made a written statement to AA regarding the detention by Israel of the "Madleen" vessel carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza and containing EP member Hassan.
"The protection and welfare of EP members anywhere in the world will always be the highest priority for the EP," Colard stated in the announcement.
Noting that EP President Metsola is in contact with Israeli officials and leaders of political groups in the EP to ensure the safety of Hassan and everyone accompanying her, Colard evaluated: "The EP will always insist that all its members are kept safe wherever they are in the world and treated with respect as elected representatives of the European people."
"The situation is still ongoing and we will continue to be in 24/7 communication with all parties until it is safely resolved," Colard informed.
International law experts view Israel's intervention against the vessel and its 12 activists as a serious violation of law, stating that Israel's stopping of the vessel carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza in international waters is illegal and constitutes a war crime.
Dr. Heidi Matthews, faculty member at York University Osgoode Hall Law School, stated that Israel defends its intervention as part of the Gaza blockade, but this blockade is completely illegal.
"Israel claims it has the right to intervene against the vessel within the framework of a legal naval blockade against Gaza. However, it is quite clear at this point that Israel's Gaza blockade is completely illegal and that the blockade is actually designed to deliberately starve the civilian population, a form of collective punishment and war crime," Matthews said.
Associate Professor Dr. Jinan Bastaki from Oxford University stated that Israel's action violates multiple international laws: "The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea guarantees freedom of navigation and prohibits the stopping of civilian and peaceful vessels on the high seas."
"There is an obligation under the Fourth Geneva Convention to allow free passage of humanitarian aid. Humanitarian law prohibits interference with humanitarian aid operations," Bastaki stated.
Bastaki evaluated the intervention as "evidence of genocidal intent and Israel's impunity," noting: "Stopping a not-large vessel carrying small amounts of humanitarian aid like baby diapers and arresting those inside."
Leaders of three political groups in the European Parliament called on Israel to immediately release all activists on the vessel, including 9 EU citizens among whom was Left group member French Palestinian MP Rima Hassan.
"This desperation behind the civilian initiative shows the failure of the international community, including the EU, to provide safe, sustainable and adequate access to life-saving aid for more than two million people trapped in Gaza," the statement said.
The Brussels-based Hind Rajab Foundation announced that it filed a war crime complaint with the UK Police War Crimes Unit due to the attack on the British-flagged Madleen vessel.
The complaint was filed against Israeli Navy Rear Admiral David Saar Salama and Shayetet 13 team members who carried out the attack, for intervention against the British-flagged Madleen vessel in international waters.
Israel is deporting 4 of the 12 human rights activists aboard the Madleen vessel, including Greta Thunberg, while 8 activists who refused to sign deportation documents will appear before a judge.
The Israeli advocacy organization Adalah shared that lawyers met with 11 of the 12 activists, and that 4 activists left or were about to leave the country.
The remaining 8 activists were detained and will appear in court because they objected to the deportation decision.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition organized the mission to break the Gaza blockade and deliver aid to the region. The 18-meter vessel departed on June 1 from San Giovanni Li Cuti Port in Catania, Italy, heading for Gaza.
The vessel carried 12 people: European Parliament French member Rima Hassan, German citizen Yasemin Acar, Huseyin Suayb Ordu from Türkiye, Thiago Avila from Brazil, Sergio Toribio from Spain, Marco van Rennes from Netherlands, Baptiste Andre, Reva Viard, Pascal Maurieras and Yanis Mhamdi from France, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and journalist Omar Faiad.
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