Freedom Flotilla demands the immediate release of humanitarian cargo

Some of the Freedom Flotilla participants with part of the consignment of 116 boxes of much-needed medical supplies ready to be loaded onto the Al Awda before the boats departed Sicily for Gaza. Where is it now?

Israeli naval forces hijacked the Freedom Flotilla boats in international waters recently and illegally forced the boats from their course to Gaza, to be impounded in Ashdod port, in southern Israel. The passengers and crew were imprisoned and most of their equipment and belongings stolen. Many were violently beaten, lied to, denied basic rights, abused, handcuffed, and some were tasered. All have since been deported. The flotilla was carrying 116 boxes of much-needed medical supplies for Gaza. The Israeli authorities promised to transfer this cargo to the MyCare centre in Gaza City to be distributed to health services. To date none have arrived. This raises further serious issues of international law and conventions flagrantly ignored by Israel. Here is a statement from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition:

Freedom Flotilla Coalition press release, 9 August 2018

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition demands the immediate release of the 116 boxes of medical supplies for the health services of Gaza that were carried on the Al Awda and Freedom boats of the 2018 Freedom Flotilla to Gaza, recently seized by Israeli forces. As Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Margot Wallström has stated, the ship’s cargo must be released, according to international law.

International law also requires the delivery of medical supplies. Article 23 of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (Geneva Convention IV, 1949) says that “Each High Contracting Party shall allow the free passage of all consignments of medical and hospital stores … intended only for civilians of another High Contracting Party, even if the latter is its adversary.”

Additionally, the  San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea (12 June 1994) says in paragraph 104: “The blockading belligerent shall allow the passage of medical supplies for the civilian population or for the wounded and sick members of armed forces, subject to the right to prescribe technical arrangements, including search, under which such passage is permitted. Further, the San Remo Manual on the Law of Non-International Armed Conflict (2006), says in point 2 in the commentary to Rule 2.3.10: “By extension, all objects indispensable to the survival of civilians should be protected, especially medications. The protection means that the enemy is not permitted to attack, destroy, remove, or render useless the aforementioned items.”

Our Israeli attorney Gaby Lasky has been in contact with Occupation authorities to arrange delivery of the humanitarian medical supplies but to date none have arrived in Gaza. The boxes are consigned to:

MyCARE, Gaza City, Gaza
Office Director Ahmed i. Thabet
1^st Jaber Building, Opposite Haji Building
Near Fishermen’s Port
Gaza City, Palestine

Boxes 1-87 on Al Awda
Boxes 88-114 on Freedom
Boxes 115-116 on Al Awda

Full inventories of the medical supplies in each box have been provided previously and can be produced on request.

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For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact our media spokespersons:
https://jfp.freedomflotilla.org/media-room-2