Disguised Piracy: Occupation Forces Intercept a Humanitarian Ship at Sea

What occurred during the Israeli occupation forces’ assault on the blockade-breaking ship Madrin and the arrest of its crew on Monday, May/June 2025, represents yet another crime added to Israel’s long record of violations against anyone attempting to deliver aid to besieged Gaza. The vessel, carrying civilian activists of various nationalities and humanitarian relief supplies, posed no threat to Israel’s security as claimed; rather, it threatened the occupation’s narrative justifying the blockade as normal or defensive, while in reality, the blockade is illegal, inhumane, and constitutes collective punishment prohibited under international law.

Legally, intercepting a civilian ship in international waters, storming it by force, and detaining its passengers is a clear violation of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantees freedom of navigation and forbids any state from controlling unarmed vessels on the high seas except in exceptional cases such as piracy, drug trafficking, or slavery — none of which applies to this blockade-breaking ship. Israel’s actions constitute what international law would typically classify as “maritime piracy,” albeit conducted by a state under a false security pretext.

From an international humanitarian law perspective, the continuation of the blockade, denial of humanitarian assistance, and arrest of peaceful solidarity activists constitute a direct violation of Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits collective punishment and considers economic blockade and deliberate starvation as war crimes if used against civilians.

At the Hague Initiative for Law and Justice, we consider this attack not only a breach of international laws and treaties but also a direct violation of human justice and ethical principles of international action. It reflects a deliberate intent by the occupation authorities to silence voices trying to expose Gaza’s daily suffering. This assault is not merely a security operation but a warning to anyone who dares challenge the blockade or even speak about it. The occupation seeks not only to besiege Gaza but also to strangle global conscience and prevent any humanitarian initiative from reaching or impacting the population.

Regrettably, this attack — reminiscent of the Mavi Marmara incident — has yet to provoke a decisive response from relevant international bodies. Continuous silence and repeated tolerance of such acts embolden the occupation and undermine confidence in international law and its institutions.

We reaffirm that the arrest of the Madrin crew constitutes an assault on the law, human dignity, and every free voice attempting to break the imposed humiliation of over two million people in Gaza. Such acts require serious legal and political measures beyond mere verbal condemnation.