Kuala lumpur: PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar has called for accountability over what she described as the illegal interception of the Freedom Flotilla and urged for a permanent end to the ongoing siege on Gaza. In a statement today, she said while reports on the release of nine Malaysian humanitarian activists were a relief, it did not absolve the crimes committed by Israeli forces.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Nurul Izzah stated that the detention of activists is part of a systematic campaign of aggression by Israeli forces in international waters, which violates maritime law. She highlighted that this incident is part of a pattern of aggression, citing the illegal seizure of humanitarian vessels such as the cargo ship Annie in June, which carried over 5,000 tonnes of life-saving aid.
She further added that the attacks persisted with the violent seizure of the ship Handala in July, which had departed from Syracuse, Italy, carrying activists, medics, lawyers, journalists, and humanitarian supplies. Nurul Izzah emphasized that these actions demonstrate that the regime operates with impunity, defying international courts and violating maritime law.
Nurul Izzah condemned the assault for defying international legal institutions, including preliminary rulings by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and findings by the United Nations on potential genocidal acts in Gaza. She argued that attacking a humanitarian flotilla violates the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the principle of freedom of navigation.
She described the attack as piracy linked to the ongoing blockade of Gaza, echoing reports by Amnesty International and other rights groups accusing Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war. Nurul Izzah noted that the Flotilla's mission challenged the blockade, which the ICJ has ordered to be lifted to allow aid to reach a population facing famine.
Additionally, she condemned recent Israeli strikes that killed over 50 Palestinians just hours after a ceasefire announcement, stating that this demonstrates ongoing contempt for peace and international law.
Nurul Izzah praised the bravery of the Malaysian delegates, including Prof Emeritus Dr Mohd Alauddin Mohd Ali and other colleagues, whose mission was coordinated by Humanitarian Care Malaysia (MyCARE). She acknowledged Malaysia's diplomatic efforts in securing their release and called for global attention to address the systemic injustices sustaining the siege on Gaza.
In total, about 150 volunteers from 25 countries participated in the mission, with MyCARE leading the Malaysian delegation. Eight Malaysians were onboard the Conscience, while another medical doctor was onboard the Umm Saad.